Understanding PAM config syntax

trippycamper · 2025-09-22 15:16:43

Working to try and setup kwallet autologin, and I'm ensuring the PAM config is setup properly with SDDM. My current config is:

#%PAM-1.0
-auth optional pam_gnome_keyring.so
-auth optional pam_kwallet5.so
account include system-login
password include system-login
-password optional pam_gnome_keyring.so use_authtok
session optional pam_keyinit.so force revoke
session include system-login
-session optional pam_gnome_keyring.so auto_start
-session optional pam_kwallet5.so auto_start

Why are some lines prefixed with a dash? Is this to enable/disable specific lines? The two lines I need to configure the wallet are present, but both preceeded by the dash so I'm curious if I need to remove it for correct configuration. The wallet has not been kind to me. As far as I can see, the wiki page for PAM doesn't mention these dashes which is what brings me here.

Last edited by trippycamper (2025-09-22 15:17:22)

twelveeighty · 2025-09-22 15:28:38

The explanation is in the man page for pam.conf:

If [...] is prepended with a - character the PAM library will not log to the system log if it is not possible to load the module because it is missing in the system.

trippycamper · 2025-09-22 15:35:31

twelveeighty wrote:

The explanation is in the man page for pam.conf:
If [...] is prepended with a - character the PAM library will not log to the system log if it is not possible to load the module because it is missing in the system.

And now I know where to look in future

Thank you!

seth · 2025-09-22 19:59:27

\o/
Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-09-22 15:16:43

Understanding PAM config syntax

#2 2025-09-22 15:28:38

Re: Understanding PAM config syntax

#3 2025-09-22 15:35:31

Re: Understanding PAM config syntax

#4 2025-09-22 19:59:27

Re: Understanding PAM config syntax

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