Name

chgrp - change group

Synopsis

chgrp [-fhv] [-R [-H | -L | -P]] group file ...

Description

The chgrp utility sets the group ID of the file named by each file operand to the group ID specified by the group operand.

The following options are available:

-H

If the -R option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed. (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed).

-L

If the -R option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.

-P

If the -R option is specified, no symbolic links are followed. This is the default.

-R

Change the group ID for the file hierarchies rooted in the files instead of just the files themselves.

-f

The force option ignores errors, except for usage errors and doesn't query about strange modes (unless the user does not have proper permissions).

-h

If the file is a symbolic link, the group ID of the link itself is changed rather than the file that is pointed to.

-v

Cause chgrp to be verbose, showing files as the group is modified.

The -H, -L and -P options are ignored unless the -R option is specified. In addition, these options override each other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.

The group operand can be either a group name from the group database, or a numeric group ID. If a group name is also a numeric group ID, the operand is used as a group name.

The user invoking chgrp must belong to the specified group and be the owner of the file, or be the super-user.

Diagnostics

The chgrp utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

Compatibility

In previous versions of this system, symbolic links did not have groups.

The -v option is non-standard and its use in scripts is not recommended.

Files

/etc/group group ID file

See Also

chown(2) , fts(3) , group(5) , passwd(5) , symlink(7) , chown(8)

Standards

The chgrp utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') compatible.

Table of Contents

• Name
• Synopsis
• Description
• Diagnostics
• Compatibility
• Files
• See Also
• Standards