NICKNAMES(5) | File Formats Manual | NICKNAMES(5)

# NAME

`nicknames` —
map nickname translation file for NIS (YP)

# DESCRIPTION

The ypcat(1), ypmatch(1), and ypwhich(1) commands reference NIS (YP) maps as specified by the user. Occasionally it is desirable to use a shorthand reference for a longer map name, hence the `nicknames` file, kept in “/var/yp/nicknames.”

The format of the file is

`nickname map`

one pair per line. The default installed nickname map is as follows:

passwd
  passwd.byname
group
  group.byname
networks
  networks.byaddr
hosts
  hosts.byname
protocols
  protocols.bynumber
services
  services.byname
aliases
  aliases.byname
ethers
  ethers.byname
master.passwd
  master.passwd.byname

A blank or incomplete `nicknames` file will affect any scripts which use nicknames for map lookup, whereas if the file is simply missing, the default compiled-in list will be used.

# SEE ALSO

ypcat(1), ypmatch(1), ypwhich(1)

# HISTORY

The `nicknames` file first appeared in Solaris 2.4.

August 28, 2003 | NetBSD 9.4