Compaq TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS
User's Guide
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Chapter 7
Accessing User Information Using the FINGER Utility

For displaying information about users on remote systems and your local system, the TCP/IP Services includes the FINGER utility. For example, you can use the utility to determine which users are logged on to a system or to refresh your memory about the correct login name to use before using FTP or another service to connect to an account on a remote host.

The FINGER listing can include such information as:

The following table lists the capabilities provided by the FINGER utility and the sections that explain how to use them.
Capability Section
Display brief information about all users on a host. 7.3.1
Display detailed information about one or more specific users on a host. 7.3.2
Display information about all users logged into an OpenVMS Cluster system. 7.3.3
Get information from a host that is not directly accessible to your local host. 7.4
Make planning and project information about yourself available to other FINGER users. 7.5

The FINGER software must be enabled on your local OpenVMS host (see your system manager). If FINGER has not been started, then attempts to use the FINGER command might cause an error message because of missing privileges. You must start the utility before attempting to use it.

7.1 Typing FINGER Commands

Use the following rules for command syntax and wildcards when you enter FINGER command lines.

7.1.1 Wildcards

Wildcards are not accepted for OpenVMS hosts but may be valid for some UNIX hosts.

7.1.2 Qualifiers

Qualifiers to the FINGER command must follow immediately after the command verb and must precede the user or host name. If the qualifier follows the user or host name, the FINGER utility interprets the qualifier as a user name. For example, in the following command, the qualifier /FULL incorrectly appears after the user specification. As indicated by the last line in the display, the FINGER server interprets /FULL as a user login name. 


$ FINGER ROLLINS /FULL 
 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
ROLLINS      $            Mon 15:02 64626::ROLLINS 
 
Login name: ROLLINS        In real life: Professor Rollins 
Account: RES9              Directory: WORK1$:[ROLLINS] 
Last login: Tue  3-MAR-2002 09:05:29 
Unread mail: 25 
Project: Homeopathic medicine/Silica 
No Plan. 
Login name: /FULL          In real life: ???

The following example shows the correct position of the qualifier (the information displayed now includes user ROLLINS' real name and current program). 


$ FINGER /FULL ROLLINS 
 
[stlab1.bastyr.edu] 
Username     Real Name           Program      Login     Term/Location 
ROLLINS      Ben Rollins         $            Mon 15:02 64606::ROLLINS 
                                 $            Mon 09:42 64606::ROLLINS 
 
Login name: ROLLINS       In real life: Professor Rollins 
Account: RES9              Directory: WORK1$:[ROLLINS] 
Last login: Tue  3-MAR-2002 09:05:29 
Unread mail: 27 
Project: Homeopathic medicine/Silica 
No Plan.

7.2 Obtaining Online Help

You can obtain online help for the FINGER utility by entering either of the following commands: 


$ HELP TCPIP_SERVICES FINGER 
$ HELP FINGER

7.3 Displaying Information about Users

To display information about all users on a remote host, enter the FINGER command followed by the host name (FINGER @hostname). To display more detailed information about a particular user, specify the user name with the host name (format FINGER username@hostname). To display information about all users on your local host, enter the FINGER command without specifying a host name. To display detailed information about a specific user on your local host, enter the FINGER command followed by the user name. Table 7-1 summarizes the different ways to display user information.

Table 7-1 Ways of Displaying Information Using the FINGER Command
If you need ... Use this command...
Brief information about all users on a remote host FINGER @ hostname
Brief information about all users on your local host FINGER
Brief information about all users on your cluster FINGER/CLUSTER
Detailed information about a specific user on a remote host FINGER username@ hostname
Detailed information about several users on a remote host FINGER user1name@ hostname user2name@ hostname
Detailed information about a specific user on your local host FINGER username
Detailed information about several users on your local host FINGER user1name user2name
More detailed information about users on the local host, including their real name and all logins FINGER/FULL
Brief information about all local users and detailed information about a specific local user FINGER/ALL username

7.3.1 Displaying Information about All Users

To display brief information about all users on a host, use the FINGER command with the host name only, in the format @hostname. If you use the FINGER command alone (without specifying a host name), you receive brief information about all users on your local system. The following example shows how to display brief information about all users on remote host SCIENCE: 


$ FINGER @SCIENCE 
 
[science.ucd.edu] 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
BRADY        $            Thu 07:50 dialin_706_101.ucd.lab.edu 
CORRIT       $            Tue 13:30 64334::CORRIT 
DAVE         MAIL         Mon 15:02 64334::DAVE 
DAWSON       $            Thu 14:57 
FLOYD        $            Mon 17:00 
KITT         TPU          Mon 16:57 62555::KITT 
MIRTH        $            Wed 16:04 UCDVAX::MIRTH 
NATALIE      $            Tue 09:23 64222::NATALIE 
RAPSONG      $            Mon 18:50 64442::RAPSONG

7.3.2 Displaying Detailed Information about Specific Users

To display details about one or more users on a remote host, specify the user name or a list of user names, including the host name with each user name, as shown in the examples that follow. To display more information about users on your local host, specify the user names without a host name. The information about each user includes the following items in addition to the user (login) name, program, login time, and terminal/location that is returned in the default, brief display:

The following examples show how to display information about specific users.

  1. This example shows how to receive detailed information about user HOWE on host BEARINGS. The second line of information indicates user HOWE is logged in and using the OpenVMS Mail utility. 


    $ FINGER HOWE@BEARINGS 
 
[bearings.us.beacorp.com] 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
HOWE         MAIL         Mon 15:02 84640::HOWE 
 
Login name: HOWE           In real life: Abe Howe 
Account: INVENT            Directory: DISK$1:[HOWE] 
Last login: Tue   3-MAR-2002 10:15:39 
No unread mail 
Project: Inventory 
No Plan.

  2. This example displays information about several specific users on a remote host. The command displays detailed information about users HOWE and JESSE on host BEARINGS, and user billings on UNIX host class . Note that user HOWE is not currently logged in to host BEARINGS. JESSE is logged in, so FINGER displays a line of information for JESSE, including the program JESSE is using (DCL at present) and the time of login. 


    $ FINGER HOWE@BEARINGS JESSE@BEARINGS BILLINGS@CLASS 
 
[bearings.us.beacorp.com] 
Login name: HOWE           In real life: Abe Howe 
Account: INVENT            Directory: DISK$1:[HOWE] 
Last login: Tue   3-MAR-2002 10:15:39 
No unread mail 
Project: Inventory 
No Plan. 
[bearings.us.beacorp.com] 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
JESSE        $            Thu 09:24 
 
Login name: JESSE           In real life: JESSE BOYD 
Account: PLAN3              Directory: DISK$1:[JESSE] 
Last login: Mon  2-MAR-2002 16:48:50 
Unread mail: 1 
Project: Planning 
Plan: 
Next phase: December 
 
E-mail: jesse@bearings.us.beacorp.com 
 
Phone: 526-5444 
 
[class.ucb.beacorp.com] 
Login name: billings     (messages off) In real life: M. T. Billings 
Office: BLDG2-2, 236-8936          Home phone: 508-466-7873 
Directory: /usr/users/billings          Shell: /usr/bin/csh 
On since Jan 17 14:33:06 
    on :0 
On since Jan 17 14:33:13      15 days Idle Time 
    on ttyp1 
On since Jan 17 14:33:13      2 days 23 hours Idle Time 
    on ttyp2 
On since Feb  4 13:13:50      2 days 23 hours Idle Time 
    on ttyp5 
No Plan.

  3. This command displays detailed information about one or more specific users and brief information about all other users who are logged in to a remote host. For example: 


    $ FINGER DALB@BEARINGS @BEARINGS 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
 
Login name: DALB           In real life: Bob Dalb 
Account: ENG_3             Directory: WORK1$:[DALB] 
Last login: Thu  5-MAR-2002 16:26:06 
No unread mail 
Project: TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS 
No Plan. 
 
BRADY        $              Thu 07:50 dialin_706_101.lkg.dec.com 
BYRD         $              Mon 17:00 
CORTEZ       $              Tue 13:30 60121::CORTEZ 
DALB         TCPIP$FINGER   Thu 16:26 54242::DALB 
KURT         $              Mon 16:57 32556::KURT 
LARSON       SHWCLSTR       Mon 17:01 
MUELLER      $              Wed 16:04 VALVE::MUELLER 
NASAN        $              Tue 09:23 44500::NASON 
PHILLIPS     $              Tue 02:42 REMHST::PHILLIPS 
ROLLINS      $              Mon 18:50 46142::ROLLINS 
SIMMEL       MAIL           Thu 14:12 VALVE::SIMMEL

  4. This command displays detailed information about a specific user and brief information about the remaining logged-in users on a local host. Note use of the /ALL qualifier which displays specific information about user HOWE at the local host plus brief information about all other users logged in. The output of this command is similar to that shown in the preceding example. 


    $ FINGER/ALL HOWE

7.3.3 Displaying Information about Users on Your Cluster

To display information about users on all nodes in your local OpenVMS Cluster, use the /CLUSTER qualifier, as in the following examples.

  1. This example shows the default display for the FINGER/CLUSTER command. 


    $ FINGER/CLUSTER 
 
Username     Node   Program        Login     Term/Location 
ANND         UCDAXP $              Mon 17:00 
BRADY        UCDAXP $              Thu 07:50 dialin_706_101.ucd.lab.edu 
CALLING      UCDALP RTPAD          Thu 14:50 
CALLING      UCDAXP $              Thu 14:57 
CURREN       UCDAXP $              Tue 13:30 84051::CURREN 
DOBB         UCDWON TCPIP$FINGER   Mon 11:50 
GILBERT      UCDVAX MAIL           Thu 14:34 pcgil.admin.ucd.edu 
IMMIN        UCDALP $              Wed 16:21 BIXBY::IMMIN 
KITT         UCXAXP $              Mon 16:57 62555::KITT 
KITTEL       UCXALP $              Thu 14:12 AGGIE::KITTEL 
LEVINE       UCDUNI DECW$SESSION   Thu 10:50 
LEVINE       UCDALP TCPIP$UCP      Thu 10:30 llevine.philos.ucd.edu 
MILLLER      UCDALP TCPIP$FINGER   Thu 15:00 AGGIE::MILLER 
MIRTH        UCDVAX $              Tue 17:09 
MIRTH        UCDVAX RTPAD          Mon 17:27 
NATALIE      UCDAXP $              Tue 09:23 64222::NATALIE 
POFF         UCXAXP $              Tue 02:42 AGGIE::POFF 
RAPSONG      UCDAXP $              Mon 18:50 64442::RAPSONG 
TIBBS        AGGIE  $              Tue 20:43 UCXAXP::TIBBS

  2. This example displays each user's real name and every login to cluster members by including the /FULL qualifier. 


    $ FINGER/CLUSTER/FULL 
 
Username  Real Name          Node   Program        Login     Term/Location 
ANND      Ann Darin          UCDAXP $              Mon 17:00 
                             UCDAXP $              Tue 11:51 
BRADY     Robert Brady       UCDAXP $              Thu 07:50 dialin_706_101.ucd.edu 
                             UCDWON $              Fri 08:31 
CALLING   Alvin Calling      UCDALP RTPAD          Thu 14:50 
                             UCDAXP $              Thu 14:57 
CURREN    Steve Curren       UCDAXP $              Tue 13:30 84051::CURREN 
                             UCDVAX $              Tue 14:20 
DOBB      Barry Dobb         UCDWON TCPIP$FINGER   Mon 11:50 
                             UCDAXP $              Wed 09:20 
GILBERT   Joanne Gilbert     UCDVAX MAIL           Thu 14:34 pcgil.admin.ucd.edu 
IMMIN     Armen Immin        UCDALP $              Wed 16:21 BIXBY::IMMIN 
KITT      Evelyn Kitt        UCXAXP $              Mon 16:57 62555::KITT 
                             UCDALP SEARCH         Mon 16:43 62555::KITT 
KITTEL    Herb Kittel        UCXALP $              Thu 14:12 AGGIE::KITTEL 
LEVINE    Larry Levine       UCDUNI DECW$SESSION   Thu 10:50 
                             UCDALP TCPIP$UCP      Thu 10:30 slevine.philos.ucd.edu 
MILLLER   Paul Miller        UCDALP TCPIP$FINGER   Thu 15:00 AGGIE::MILLER 
MIRTH     Phil Anson         UCDVAX $              Tue 17:09 
                             UCDVAX RTPAD          Mon 17:27 
NATALIE   Natalie Beardsley  UCDAXP $              Tue 09:23 64222::NATALIE 
POFF      Pamela Offred      UCXAXP $              Tue 02:42 AGGIE::POFF 
RAPSONG   Aaron Feller       UCDAXP $              Mon 18:50 64442::RAPSONG 
TIBBS     Eugene Tibbs       AGGIE  $              Tue 20:43 UCXAXP::TIBBS

7.4 Forwarding Information from Host to Host

If your host does not have a direct connection to a remote host, you can use a forwarding host to get the information about users on that remote host. Your local host must be able to connect directly to the forwarding host, and the forwarding host must be able to connect directly to the destination. Specify the destination host and the forwarding host in the following format: username@destination_host@forwarding_host. For example, system UNION.CTSTATEU.EDU is not directly reachable, but you can get information from it indirectly through a gateway named U-GW.PA.ABCORP.COM. To get information about user JONES on host UNION.CTSTATEU.EDU, enter the following command: 


$ FINGER JONES@UNION.CTSTATEU.EDU@U-GW.PA.ABCORP.COM

By default, the FINGER server does not allow queries to be forwarded from one host to another. To enable forwarding on the FINGER server, see your system manager.

7.5 Making Your Information Available to Other Users

You can use the FINGER utility to display a user's project and plans. The project (a single line of text) indicates the user's current project, work assignment, or work group. The user's plans can include several lines of information, such as where the user will be throughout the week, what the user plans to accomplish during the week, or even such information as the user's web site, e-mail address, and telephone number, as in the following example: 


I will be in my office Monday through Wednesday working at the S.F. lab. 
On Thursday and Friday, I will be at UC Irvine for a conference. 
Web site http://bio.ucd.edu/peters/r_peters.html

If you want to make such information about yourself available to other users through the FINGER utility, create the following files in your home directory and add the appropriate information:
.PLAN A file that contains your plans, whereabouts, and other information you want to have displayed. The file can contain more than one line.
.PROJECT A file that specifies your project or work group. The file can contain only one line.

7.6 Command Description

To use FINGER commands, enter them at the DCL prompt.

This section provides a complete description of the FINGER command, its parameters, and its qualifiers.

FINGER

Displays the following information about users on a host:

Specifying the FINGER command without a user or host specification displays information about users logged in on your local system.

Format

FINGER [/ALL | /CLUSTER | /FULL] [username][@hostname]

Parameters

username

Optional. Required for detailed information about a user.

Specify the user login name. For information about a user on your local system, do not include the @hostname. For information about a user on a remote system, include the host name (username@hostname).

@hostname

Optional. Required for information about users on a remote system.

For information about a specific user on a remote host, include the user name with the host name (username@hostname). For information about all users on the remote host, specify the host name only (@hostname). Omit the host name to display information about users on your local host.

Qualifiers

/ALL

Optional. Use when specifying a local user name. The /ALL qualifier immediately follows the FINGER command.

Displays a brief listing of all users in addition to detailed information about any specified users. Use this qualifier primarily for displaying information about users on the local host. The /ALL qualifier is ignored by most remote FINGER servers when you specify a remote host name in the command line. To display brief information about all users on a remote host in addition to detailed information about specific users, specify the user@hostname format for each user, along with @hostname (to list brief information about all users). Separate each user@hostname and @hostname specification with a space.

/CLUSTER

Optional. The /CLUSTER qualifier must immediately follow the FINGER command. Do not specify a remote host name with this qualifier.

Displays information about all users logged in to the local OpenVMS Cluster system.

/FULL

Optional. The /FULL qualifier must immediately follow the FINGER command.

Displays detailed information, such as the user's real name and all the user's logins. (Without /FULL, the display includes the last login only.) Use this qualifier primarily for displaying information about users on the local host.

Examples

#1 

$ FINGER FRANKEL@KCRA
Username        Program      Login      Term/Location 
FRANKEL         $            Mon 15:10  KCRA::FRANKEL 
 
Login name:  frankel         In real Life:  Sam Frankel 
Account:  CC_Y9M             Directory:  WORK1$:[FRANKEL] 
Last login:  Mon 30-MAR-1998 13:10:22 
No unread mail 
No plan

Displays detailed information about user FRANKEL at host KCRA.

#2 

$ FINGER @OXYGEN
[oxygen.gp.org] 
Username     Program      Login     Term/Location 
BARD         $            Mon 17:00 
CASON        LSEDIT       Thu 14:57 
CORR         $            Tue 13:30 24151::CORR 
DUDLEY       $            Mon 15:02 24646::DUDLEY 
GRAND        $            Thu 07:50 NITROGEN::GRAND 
KURT         $            Mon 16:57 22556::KURT 
KYLIE        MAIL         Thu 14:12 ELEMENT::KYLIE 
MYRA         $            Wed 16:04 BIGVAX::MYRA 
NASON        $            Tue 09:23 24200::NASON 
PHILLIPS     $            Tue 02:42 BIGALP::PHILLIPS 
RAWLINGS     $            Mon 18:50 24042::RAWLINGS

Displays brief information about users logged in to host OXYGEN.

#3 

$ FINGER/FULL
Username    Real Name           Program     Login     Term/Location 
BAIRD       Randall Baird       $           Mon 17:00 
CARR        Rich Carr           LSEDIT      Thu 14:57 
                                SHWCLSTR    Mon 17:01 
CORTEZ      Julia Cortez        $           Tue 13:30 23441::CORTEZ 
DANBOY      Dan Keller          $           Thu 16:12 ogrady.ucsb.edu 
GANDHI      T.J. Gandhi         TPU         Mon 16:57 12556::GANDHI 
                                TPU         Tue 15:27 12556::GANDHI 
LIMO        Michael Limorley    MAIL        Thu 14:12 TOPDAY::LIMO 
                                LSEDIT      Thu 19:03 TOPDAY::LIMO 
MENNING     Mark Menning        $           Wed 16:04 TOPDAY::MENNING 
                                $           Mon 18:58 HAPDAY::MENNING 
NELSON      Anne Nelson         $           Tue 09:23 22200::NELSON 
ROBERTS     Michael Roberts     $           Mon 18:50 22042::ROBERTS 
                                $           Mon 18:34 HAPDAY::ROBERTS

Displays the real name and all logins for each user.

#4 

$ FINGER/CLUSTER 
Username     Node   Program      Login     Term/Location 
SMITH        MOUNTB TPU          Fri 09:47 MOUNTB::SMITH 
JONES        MOUNTC $            Tue 18:02 
BROWN        MOUNTC $            Mon 17:04 
TAYLOR       MOUNTB EDT          Thu 15:59 
CROSBY       MOUNTC RTPAD        Thu 14:59 
CARPENTER    MOUNTB $            Wed 17:23 MOUNTB::SYSTEM 
BLACK        MOUNTC $            Tue 10:42 MOUNTC::BLACK

Displays information about all users on all members of the cluster.

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