-N

-N

---

Append a null byte to all keys

editmap command-line switch

The database files used for aliases always store keys with a null byte appended to each. When you use editmap on such a file, your key will not be found:

 %  editmap -q hash list-aliases user  editmap: couldn't find key user in map list-aliases 

This lookup failed because editmap normally omits a trailing null from a key before looking up its value. When looking up keys in aliases -style databases, you need to use the -N command-line switch to append a null to a key before a lookup:

 %  editmap -q -N hash list-aliases user  

Some database files (other than aliases ) also append a null byte to keys. These databases will appear with a corresponding -N in a K configuration file line. In such instances, you must use -N with editmap to match the K line's -N .