NETRC(5) File Formats and Configurations NETRC(5)

NAME

netrc - file for ftp remote login data

DESCRIPTION

The .netrc file contains data for logging in to a remote host over
the network for file transfers by ftp(1). This file resides in the
user's home directory on the machine initiating the file transfer.
Its permissions should be set to disallow read access by group and
others. See chmod(1).


Tokens can be separated by SPACE, TAB, or NEWLINE characters. The
following tokens are supported:

account string
Supply an additional account password. If this
token is present, the auto-login process supplies
the specified string if the remote server requires
an additional account password. If the remote
server does not require an additional account
password, the auto-login process initiates an ACCT
command.


default
Same as machine name, except that default matches
any name. There can be only one default token, and
it must be after all machine tokens. The default
token is normally used as follows:

default login anonymous password user@site


Such an entry gives the user automatic anonymous
ftp login to machines not specified in .netrc.


login name
Identify a user on the remote machine. If this
token is present, the auto-login process initiates
a login using the specified name.


machine name
Identify a remote machine name. The auto-login
process searches the .netrc file for a machine
token that matches the remote machine specified on
the ftp command line or as an open command
argument. Once a match is made, the subsequent
.netrc tokens are processed, stopping when the EOF
is reached or another machine token is
encountered.


macdef name
Define a macro. This token functions the same as
ftp macdef. A macro is defined with the specified
name; its contents begin with the next .netrc line
and continue until a null line (consecutive
NEWLINE characters) is encountered. If a macro
named init is defined, it is automatically
executed as the last step in the auto-login
process.


password string
Supply a password. If this token is present, the
auto-login process supplies the specified string
if the remote server requires a password as part
of the login process. If this token is present in
the .netrc file, ftp aborts the auto-login process
if the .netrc is readable by anyone besides the
user.


skipsyst
Skip the SYST command that is sent by default to
all remote servers upon connection. The system
command is what enables the automatic use of
binary mode rather than the protocol default ascii
mode.

As some older servers cannot handle the ftp
command, this directive is provided to allow
inter-operability with these servers.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: A Sample .netrc File

A .netrc file containing the following line:


machine ray login demo password mypassword


allows an autologin to the machine ray using the login name demo with
password mypassword.

FILES

~/.netrc

SEE ALSO

chmod(1), ftp(1)

August 25, 2006 NETRC(5)