---
name: "cfingerd.text"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "cfingerd"
version: "1.4.3-8"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cfingerd.text"
---

# cfingerd.text(5)

cfingerd text rules

## NAME

cfingerd.text - cfingerd text rules\

## EXPLANATION

**cfingerd** offers different commands that can be placed in text files to display  corresponding information.  Each command used with **cfingerd** in text files  begins with a dollar-sign (or a "$").  This usually indicates to **cfingerd** that when it's displaying a file, it issues the command given directly after that character and inserts its output.

If you want to display a raw "$" sign, simply put two "$" signs together,  or "$$".

Text commands are only parsed if ALLOW\_LINE\_PARSING is enabled in /etc/cfingerd/[cfingerd.conf(5)](/cfingerd.conf/5.md).  If it is disabled the text files will be sent as is, complete with any single or double dollar signs they may contain.\

## TEXT COMMANDS

The following is a list of text commands and what they do.  They are checked case insensitively.

**$CENTER** will display the entire contents of the line.  This command must start at  the beginning of the line.  This is a very common command.

**$DATE** displays the current system date in the format of MM/DD/YY.

**$TIME** displays the current system time in the format HH:MM A/PM (timezone).

**$IDENT** displays the identity of the current person fingering your system.

**$COMPILE\_DATETIME** displays the date and time of which the current issue of **cfingerd** was  compiled on your system.

**$VERSION** displays the current version of **cfingerd**.

**$EXEC** executes the rest of the line as a system command and send the output to the fingering user.  Pipes, parameters etc. are available. The **$EXEC** command must be on a line by itself in order to function properly. The command is executed as nobody.nogroup if used in a system file. If used in a user file (e.g. *.plan*) the command is executed as that particular user. **cfingerd** will fork() before executing the new command and will drop all priviledges so this is safe.

This feature is only available if **ALLOW\_EXECUTION** is enabled in cfingerd.conf.  The program may prodeuce a maximum of 10MB of output.\

## CONTACTING

If you like the software, and you want to learn more about the software,  or want to see a feature added to it that isn't already here, then please  write to cfingerd@infodrom.north.de.  The project's webpage is at http://www.infodrom.north.de/cfingerd/ .

## SEE ALSO

[**cfingerd**(8)](/cfingerd/8.md), [**cfingerd.conf**(5)](/cfingerd.conf/5.md), [**finger**(1)](/finger/1.md), **userlist**(1), any of the included docs with the standard cfingerd distribution.