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### 36.9 Password Database Functions

Octave’s password database functions return information in a structure with the following fields.

`name`

  The user name.

`passwd`

  The encrypted password, if available.

`uid`

  The numeric user id.

`gid`

  The numeric group id.

`gecos`

  The GECOS field.

`dir`

  The home directory.

`shell`

  The initial shell.

In the descriptions of the following functions, this data structure is referred to as a pw_struct.

Built-in Function: pw_struct = getpwent ()

  Return a structure containing an entry from the password database, opening it if necessary. Once the end of the data has been reached, `getpwent` returns 0.

Built-in Function: pw_struct = getpwuid (uid).

  Return a structure containing the first entry from the password database with the user ID uid. If the user ID does not exist in the database, `getpwuid` returns 0.

Built-in Function: pw_struct = getpwnam (name)

  Return a structure containing the first entry from the password database with the user name name. If the user name does not exist in the database, `getpwname` returns 0.

Built-in Function: setpwent ()

  Return the internal pointer to the beginning of the password database.

Built-in Function: endpwent ()

  Close the password database.