[Pkg-shadow-devel] Bug#1103523: Bug#1103523: passwd: username -d does not create HOME_DIR when useradd(8) says it will.

[Chris Hofstaedtler]

* Mark - Syminet <mark at syminet.com> [250418 18:27]:
>On Fri, 2025-04-18 at 17:31 +0200, Chris Hofstaedtler wrote:
>> If, as you say, this is configurable in /etc/login.defs, then: IMO
>> it would be better to send a patch describing the configurable
>> behaviour, and sending that upstream.
>>
>
>Do you know offhand if CREATE_HOME not being in /etc/login.defs is
>debian specific?  (so upstream doesn't bounce it back)

So, apparently shadow-4.1.3 introduced CREATE_HOME, with this note 
in NEWS:

- /etc/login.defs
   * New CREATE_HOME variable to tell useradd to create a home directory by
     default.

useradd.c turns on creating a homedir, if it sees either -m or 
CREATE_HOME. (using getdef_bool, which defaults to false.)
  
The etc/login.defs file shipped by upstream, has this contents:

   #
   # If useradd(8) should create home directories for users by default (non
   # system users only).
   # This option is overridden with the -M or -m flags on the useradd(8)
   # command-line.
   #
   #CREATE_HOME     yes
   
IOW: CREATE_HOME is _off_ by default upstream. This appears to be unchanged 
since 4.1.2.

Chris