Keith Keller wrote:
> You can use getent to get some or all of the entries from system
> databases:
>
> ~$ getent passwd root kkeller
> root:x:0:0::/root:/bin/bash
> kkeller:x:1000:100:,,,:/home/kkeller:/bin/bash
>
> getent queries all sources of information that you've configured,
> including NSS, PAM, and local files. man getent should have more info
> (though it doesn't on my current Slackware box, it does on my CentOS 4
> box).

Great. Yes, getent(1) appears to be the way to go.

And yes, man pages for the command are thin on my fedora3
and ubuntu7 boxes as well: 'getent --help' shows -s/-V flags
which aren't even mentioned in the manpage or info docs.