The
chgrp utility sets the group ID of the file named by each
file operand to the
group ID specified by the group operand.
Options:
-H
If the -R option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed. (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)
-L
If the -R option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.
-P
If the -R option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.
-R
Change the group ID for the file hierarchies rooted in the files instead of just the files themselves.
-f
The force option ignores errors, except for usage errors and doesn't query about strange modes (unless the user does not have proper permissions).
-h
If file is a symbolic link, the group of the link is changed.
-v
Cause chgrp to be verbose, showing files as they are processed.
If
-h is not given, unless the
-H or
-L option is set,
chgrp on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect. The
-H,
-L and
-P options are ignored unless the
-R option is specified. In addition, these options override each other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
The
group operand can be either a group name from the group database, or a numeric group ID. Since it is valid to have a group name that is numeric (and doesn't have the numeric ID that matches its name) the name lookup is always done first. Preceding the ID with a ``#'' character will force it to be taken as a number.
The user invoking
chgrp must belong to the specified group and be the owner of the file, or be the super-user.
Unless invoked by the super-user,
chgrp clears the set-user-id and set-group-id bits on a file to prevent accidental or mischievous creation of set-user-id or set-group-id programs.
The
chgrp utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.