bup-meta.1.md

% bup-meta(1) Bup %BUP_VERSION% % Rob Browning rlb@defaultvalue.org % %BUP_DATE%

NAME

bup-meta - create or extract a metadata archive

SYNOPSIS

bup meta --create ~ [-R] [-v] [-q] [--no-symlinks] [--no-paths] [-f file] <paths...>

bup meta --list ~ [-v] [-q] [-f file]

bup meta --extract ~ [-v] [-q] [--numeric-ids] [--no-symlinks] [-f file]

bup meta --start-extract ~ [-v] [-q] [--numeric-ids] [--no-symlinks] [-f file]

bup meta --finish-extract ~ [-v] [-q] [--numeric-ids] [-f file]

DESCRIPTION

bup meta either creates or extracts a metadata archive. A metadata archive contains the metadata information (timestamps, ownership, access permissions, etc.) for a set of filesystem paths.

OPTIONS

-c, --create : Create a metadata archive for the specified paths. Write the archive to standard output unless --file is specified.

-t, --list : Display information about the metadata in an archive. Read the archive from standard output unless --file is specified.

-x, --extract : Extract a metadata archive. Conceptually, perform --start-extract followed by --finish-extract. Read the archive from standard input unless --file is specified.

--start-extract : Build a filesystem tree matching the paths stored in a metadata archive. By itself, this command does not produce a full restoration of the metadata. For a full restoration, this command must be followed by a call to --finish-extract. Once this command has finished, all of the normal files described by the metadata will exist and be empty. Restoring the data in those files, and then calling --finish-extract should restore the original tree. The archive will be read from standard input unless --file is specified.

--finish-extract : Finish applying the metadata stored in an archive to the filesystem. Normally, this command should follow a call to --start-extract. The archive will be read from standard input unless --file is specified.

-f, --file=filename : Read the metadata archive from filename or write it to filename as appropriate. If filename is "-", then read from standard input or write to standard output.

-R, --recurse : Recursively descend into subdirectories during --create.

--numeric-ids : Apply numeric user and group IDs (rather than text IDs) during --extract or --finish-extract.

--symlinks : Record symbolic link targets when creating an archive, or restore symbolic links when extracting an archive (during --extract or --start-extract). This option is enabled by default. Specify --no-symlinks to disable it.

--paths : Record pathnames when creating an archive. This option is enabled by default. Specify --no-paths to disable it.

-v, --verbose : Be more verbose (can be used more than once).

-q, --quiet : Be quiet.

EXAMPLES

# Create a metadata archive for /etc.
$ bup meta -cRf etc.meta /etc
bup: removing leading "/" from "/etc"

# Extract the etc.meta archive (files will be empty).
$ mkdir tmp && cd tmp
$ bup meta -xf ../etc.meta
$ ls
etc

# Restore /etc completely.
$ mkdir tmp && cd tmp
$ bup meta \-\-start-extract -f ../etc.meta
...fill in all regular file contents using some other tool...
$ bup meta \-\-finish-extract -f ../etc.meta

BUGS

Hard links are not handled yet.

BUP

Part of the bup(1) suite.