---
name: "setnetgrent"
section: "3"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/endnetgrent"
---

# setnetgrent(3)

netgroup database operations

Part of [endnetgrent(3)](/endnetgrent/3.md).

## NAME

**getnetgrent**, **innetgr**, **setnetgrent**, **endnetgrent** – netgroup database operations

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<netdb.h\>**

*int*\

**getnetgrent**(*char \*\*host*, *char \*\*user*, *char \*\*domain*);

*int*\

**getnetgrent\_r**(*char \*\*host*, *char \*\*user*, *char \*\*domain*, *char \*buf*, *size\_t bufsize*);

*int*\

**innetgr**(*const char \*netgroup*, *const char \*host*, *const char \*user*, *const char \*domain*);

*void*\

**setnetgrent**(*const char \*netgroup*);

*void*\

**endnetgrent**(*void*);

## DESCRIPTION

These functions operate on the netgroup database file */etc/netgroup* which is described in [netgroup(5)](/netgroup/5.md). The database defines a set of netgroups, each made up of one or more triples:

```
(host, user, domain)
```

that defines a combination of host, user and domain. Any of the three fields may be specified as \`\`wildcards'' that match any string.

The function **getnetgrent**() sets the three pointer arguments to the strings of the next member of the current netgroup. If any of the string pointers are NULL that field is considered a wildcard.

The functions **setnetgrent**() and **endnetgrent**() set the current netgroup and terminate the current netgroup respectively. If **setnetgrent**() is called with a different netgroup than the previous call, an implicit **endnetgrent**() is implied. The **setnetgrent**() function also sets the offset to the first member of the netgroup.

The function **innetgr**() searches for a match of all fields within the specified group. If any of the **host**, **user**, or **domain** arguments are NULL those fields will match any string value in the netgroup member.

## RETURN VALUES

The function **getnetgrent**() returns 0 for \`\`no more netgroup members'' and 1 otherwise. The function **innetgr**() returns 1 for a successful match and 0 otherwise. The functions **setnetgrent**() and **endnetgrent**() have no return value.

## FILES

- */etc/netgroup*

  netgroup database file

## COMPATIBILITY

The netgroup members have three string fields to maintain compatibility with other vendor implementations, however it is not obvious what use the **domain** string has within BSD.

## SEE ALSO

[netgroup(5)](/netgroup/5.md)

## BUGS

The function **getnetgrent**() returns pointers to dynamically allocated data areas that are freed when the function **endnetgrent**() is called.