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a-OfEarth

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 13, 2009
2
0
Hello all,

I'm a little mystified regarding behavioural differences in groups assigned by default to newly created users in Leopard and was hoping if was possible someone could help clarify this?

What are the reasons for the differences between how users are created via Leopard's (Mac OS 10.5.8) System Prefs. vs. Workgroup Manager on a Mac OS X Client system's local directory?

1. PrimaryGroup ID 20/staff discrepancies.

• A user created via System prefs by default gets it's PrimaryGroup ID set to 20 (staff).

- In addition, Users (also gid 20) is assigned in the Other Groups listing when this new user is viewed in Workgroup Manager.

- Under the Users' group's membership that user winds up getting listed twice as result. Also, it's name is not in italics i.e. the indication that that a user has it's PrimaryGroup ID set to that group.

• On the other hand, when a new user gets created via Workgroup Manger it does not get this double listing to group 20. It only has gid 20 (staff) assigned to it's PrimaryGroup ID and nothing under Other Groups. As well, it's name is shown as italics when viewed in the Users' group membership as expected.

For what purpose would System Prefs be creating this double listing?


2. Public groups created for each user if one uses System Prefs.

• For each new user that's created via System prefs a Public (long name) group gets added with a sequentially increasing gid for each new user starting at gid 101. Along with a sequentially increasing short name for each user starting at com.apple.sharepoint.group.1.

• This set of groups is not created when a user is made via Workgroup Manager.

I assume these Public groups have something to do with a user's Public folder and File sharing?

Why does System prefs automatically create them but Workgroup Manager does not?

Thanks,
 

hakuryuu

macrumors 6502
Sep 30, 2007
351
11
Lomita, CA
Workgroup manager creates network accounts which can be used for login to machines other than the server you are working on. System Preferences creates local users on the server.
 

a-OfEarth

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 13, 2009
2
0
Workgroup manager creates network accounts which can be used for login to machines other than the server you are working on. System Preferences creates local users on the server.

Okay, but why does System Preferences create this double listing in a user's assigned groups for local users?

i.e.- staff (uid) is assigned to both it's PrimaryGroup ID and that group is also listed under it's Other/secondary Groups. What is the reason for this duplication?

Thanks for your reply,
 
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