.TH bup\-cat\-file 1 "2013\-12\-16" "Bup debian/0.25\-1"
.SH NAME
.PP
bup\-cat\-file \- extract archive content (low\-level)
.SH SYNOPSIS
.PP
bup cat\-file [\-\-meta|\-\-bupm] <\f[I]path\f[]>
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
\f[C]bup\ cat\-file\f[] extracts content associated with \f[I]path\f[]
from the archive and dumps it to standard output.
If nothing special is requested, the actual data contained by
\f[I]path\f[] (which must be a regular file) will be dumped.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-\-meta
retrieve the metadata entry associated with \f[I]path\f[].
Note that currently this does not return the raw bytes for the entry
recorded in the relevant .bupm in the archive, but rather a decoded and
then re\-encoded version.
When that matters, it should be possible (though awkward) to use
\f[C]\-\-bupm\f[] on the parent directory and then find the relevant
entry in the output.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-bupm
retrieve the .bupm file associated with \f[I]path\f[], which must be a
directory.
.RS
.RE
.SH EXAMPLES
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
#\ Retrieve\ the\ content\ of\ somefile.
$\ bup\ cat\-file\ /foo/latest/somefile\ >\ somefile\-content

#\ Examine\ the\ metadata\ associated\ with\ something.
$\ bup\ cat\-file\ \-\-meta\ /foo/latest/something\ |\ bup\ meta\ \-tvvf\ \-

#\ Examine\ the\ metadata\ for\ somedir,\ including\ the\ items\ it\ contains.
$\ bup\ cat\-file\ \-\-bupm\ /foo/latest/somedir\ |\ bup\ meta\ \-tvvf\ \-
\f[]
.fi
.SH SEE ALSO
.PP
\f[C]bup\-join\f[](1), \f[C]bup\-meta\f[](1)
.SH BUP
.PP
Part of the \f[C]bup\f[](1) suite.
.SH AUTHORS
Rob Browning <rlb@defaultvalue.org>.