NETRC(5) Standards, Environments, and Macros 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)