'\" t
.\"     Title: groupdel
.\"    Author: [FIXME: author] [see http://docbook.sf.net/el/author]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.75.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 07/24/2009
.\"    Manual: System Management Commands
.\"    Source: System Management Commands
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "GROUPDEL" "8" "07/24/2009" "System Management Commands" "System Management Commands"
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.SH "NAME"
groupdel \- delete a group
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP \w'\fBgroupdel\fR\ 'u
\fBgroupdel\fR \fIgroup\fR
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
The
\fBgroupdel\fR
command modifies the system account files, deleting all entries that refer to
\fIgroup\fR\&. The named group must exist\&.
.SH "CAVEATS"
.PP
You may not remove the primary group of any existing user\&. You must remove the user before you remove the group\&.
.PP
You should manually check all file systems to ensure that no files remain owned by this group\&.
.SH "CONFIGURATION"
.PP
The following configuration variables in
/etc/login\&.defs
change the behavior of this tool:
.PP
\fBMAX_MEMBERS_PER_GROUP\fR (number)
.RS 4
Maximum members per group entry\&. When the maximum is reached, a new group entry (line) is started in
/etc/group
(with the same name, same password, and same GID)\&.
.sp
The default value is 0, meaning that there are no limits in the number of members in a group\&.
.sp
This feature (split group) permits to limit the length of lines in the group file\&. This is useful to make sure that lines for NIS groups are not larger than 1024 characters\&.
.sp
If you need to enforce such limit, you can use 25\&.
.sp
Note: split groups may not be supported by all tools (even in the Shadow toolsuite)\&. You should not use this variable unless you really need it\&.
.RE
.SH "FILES"
.PP
/etc/group
.RS 4
Group account information\&.
.RE
.PP
/etc/gshadow
.RS 4
Secure group account information\&.
.RE
.SH "EXIT VALUES"
.PP
The
\fBgroupdel\fR
command exits with the following values:
.PP
\fI0\fR
.RS 4
success
.RE
.PP
\fI2\fR
.RS 4
invalid command syntax
.RE
.PP
\fI6\fR
.RS 4
specified group doesn\'t exist
.RE
.PP
\fI8\fR
.RS 4
can\'t remove user\'s primary group
.RE
.PP
\fI10\fR
.RS 4
can\'t update group file
.RE
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
\fBchfn\fR(1),
\fBchsh\fR(1),
\fBpasswd\fR(1),
\fBgpasswd\fR(8),
\fBgroupadd\fR(8),
\fBgroupmod\fR(8),
\fBuseradd\fR(8),
\fBuserdel\fR(8),
\fBusermod\fR(8)