vipw and Password file locking in SunOS 4.1.1

[Bob Myers]

What does vipw do, exactly?  We are using an alternate password file for
NIS passwords, and I would like to build a version of vipw to use this
file instead of /etc/passwd. I know it does file locking with /etc/ptmp,
but supposedly it makes validity checks on the password file as well.

Oddly enough, it appears to me that rpc.yppasswdd uses /etc/.ptmp for file
locking instead of /etc/ptmp. This works out well for those of us with
alternate password files, but it sort of breaks the default configuration
for NIS passwords.

So, what I really want to do is build a version of vipw that uses
/etc/passwd-NIS for the password file and /etc/.ptmp for file locking.
Anybody have a public domain version of vipw I can fix for this, or at
least pointers to an explanation of what else this program does?

Thanks.
Bob Myers					 [714] 528-7201 x2339
Unocal Science & Technology Division
Brea, California               myers%unocal.uucp at sunkist.west.sun.com