xdm shows a password prompt instead of a login prompt

[Stefan Dirsch]

On Thu, Feb 01, 2007 at 02:59:23PM -0800, Alan Coopersmith wrote:
> Stefan Dirsch wrote:
> >Hi
> >
> >Since xdm switched to separate login/password window prompts you get a
> >password prompt after typing in a wrong password, although it should
> >be a login prompt. This is pretty confusing IMHO. I'm using xdm 1.1.3.
> 
> Strange - when I type in a password that fails it resets back to prompting
> for username.   

Just to make sure. It prompts for a password but treats the input
correctly as a username (letters are echoed), so actually *only* the
prompt is wrong.

> When you fail to enter your password, pam_authenticate
> should return an error that causes the converation calling loop to jump to
> the end, call pam_end and reset to the beginning.

I think the loop works correct besides giving the wrong prompt when
you fail to enter your password.

> >BTW, is it still possible to go back to the combined login/password
> >window? How can this be done? If ever possible I would prefer to go
> >back. It would likely also fix this bug.
> 
> The prompting in separate steps is required for using PAM correctly,
> which may prompt for any number of items (local password, kerberos
> password, smartcard PIN, etc.) including not requiring any keyboard
> input, and we don't know until each prompt comes up what will be
> asked for.   It would be even more confusing to prompt for a password
> on a system set up for smartcard only or biometric only authentication.
> 
> If you build for some other authentication method than PAM, you
> should get the same combined prompt you've always had.

Thanks. Good to know. So it's a feature, not a bug/regression. :-)

Best regards,
Stefan

Public Key available
------------------------------------------------------
Stefan Dirsch (Res. & Dev.)   SUSE LINUX Products GmbH
Tel: 0911-740 53 0            Maxfeldstraße 5
FAX: 0911-740 53 479          D-90409 Nürnberg
http://www.suse.de            Germany 
------------------------------------------------------