.\" Automatically generated by Pandoc 1.17.2
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.TH "bup\-meta" "1" "2017\-04\-01" "Bup debian/0.29\-3" ""
.hy
.SH NAME
.PP
bup\-meta \- create or extract a metadata archive
.SH SYNOPSIS
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-create
[\-R] [\-v] [\-q] [\-\-no\-symlinks] [\-\-no\-paths] [\-f \f[I]file\f[]]
<\f[I]paths\f[]...>
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-list
[\-v] [\-q] [\-f \f[I]file\f[]]
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-extract
[\-v] [\-q] [\-\-numeric\-ids] [\-\-no\-symlinks] [\-f \f[I]file\f[]]
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-start\-extract
[\-v] [\-q] [\-\-numeric\-ids] [\-\-no\-symlinks] [\-f \f[I]file\f[]]
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-finish\-extract
[\-v] [\-q] [\-\-numeric\-ids] [\-f \f[I]file\f[]]
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B bup meta \-\-edit
[\-\-set\-uid \f[I]uid\f[] | \-\-set\-gid \f[I]gid\f[] | \-\-set\-user
\f[I]user\f[] | \-\-set\-group \f[I]group\f[] | ...] <\f[I]paths\f[]...>
.RS
.RE
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
\f[C]bup\ meta\f[] creates, extracts, or otherwise manipulates metadata
archives.
A metadata archive contains the metadata information (timestamps,
ownership, access permissions, etc.) for a set of filesystem paths.
.PP
See \f[C]bup\-restore\f[](1) for a description of the way ownership
metadata is restored.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-c, \-\-create
Create a metadata archive for the specified \f[I]path\f[]s.
Write the archive to standard output unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[] is
specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-t, \-\-list
Display information about the metadata in an archive.
Read the archive from standard input unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[] is
specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-x, \-\-extract
Extract a metadata archive.
Conceptually, perform \f[C]\-\-start\-extract\f[] followed by
\f[C]\-\-finish\-extract\f[].
Read the archive from standard input unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[] is
specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-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
\f[C]\-\-finish\-extract\f[].
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
\f[C]\-\-finish\-extract\f[] should restore the original tree.
The archive will be read from standard input unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[] is
specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-finish\-extract
Finish applying the metadata stored in an archive to the filesystem.
Normally, this command should follow a call to
\f[C]\-\-start\-extract\f[].
The archive will be read from standard input unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[] is
specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-edit
Edit metadata archives.
The result will be written to standard output unless \f[C]\-\-file\f[]
is specified.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-f, \-\-file=\f[I]filename\f[]
Read the metadata archive from \f[I]filename\f[] or write it to
\f[I]filename\f[] as appropriate.
If \f[I]filename\f[] is "\-", then read from standard input or write to
standard output.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-R, \-\-recurse
Recursively descend into subdirectories during \f[C]\-\-create\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-xdev, \-\-one\-file\-system
don\[aq]t cross filesystem boundaries \-\- though as with tar and rsync,
the mount points themselves will still be handled.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-numeric\-ids
Apply numeric IDs (user, group, etc.) rather than names during
\f[C]\-\-extract\f[] or \f[C]\-\-finish\-extract\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-symlinks
Record symbolic link targets when creating an archive, or restore
symbolic links when extracting an archive (during \f[C]\-\-extract\f[]
or \f[C]\-\-start\-extract\f[]).
This option is enabled by default.
Specify \f[C]\-\-no\-symlinks\f[] to disable it.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-paths
Record pathnames when creating an archive.
This option is enabled by default.
Specify \f[C]\-\-no\-paths\f[] to disable it.
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-set\-uid=\f[I]uid\f[]
Set the metadata uid to the integer \f[I]uid\f[] during
\f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-set\-gid=\f[I]gid\f[]
Set the metadata gid to the integer \f[I]gid\f[] during
\f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-set\-user=\f[I]user\f[]
Set the metadata user to \f[I]user\f[] during \f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-unset\-user
Remove the metadata user during \f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-set\-group=\f[I]group\f[]
Set the metadata user to \f[I]group\f[] during \f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-\-unset\-group
Remove the metadata group during \f[C]\-\-edit\f[].
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-v, \-\-verbose
Be more verbose (can be used more than once).
.RS
.RE
.TP
.B \-q, \-\-quiet
Be quiet.
.RS
.RE
.SH EXAMPLES
.IP
.nf
\f[C]
#\ 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

#\ Change\ user/uid\ to\ root.
$\ bup\ meta\ \-\-edit\ \-\-set\-uid\ 0\ \-\-set\-user\ root\ \\
\ \ \ \ src.meta\ >\ dest.meta
\f[]
.fi
.SH BUGS
.PP
Hard links are not handled yet.
.SH BUP
.PP
Part of the \f[C]bup\f[](1) suite.
.SH AUTHORS
Rob Browning <rlb@defaultvalue.org>.