.TH "md_src_plugins_dump_README" 3elektra "Sun May 29 2016" "Version 0.8.14" "Elektra" \" -*- nroff -*-
.ad l
.nh
.SH NAME
md_src_plugins_dump_README \- README 

.IP "\(bu" 2
infos = Information about dump plugin is in keys below
.IP "\(bu" 2
infos/author = Markus Raab elektra@libelektra.org
.IP "\(bu" 2
infos/licence = BSD
.IP "\(bu" 2
infos/needs =
.IP "\(bu" 2
infos/provides = storage
.IP "\(bu" 2
infos/placements = getstorage setstorage
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infos/description = Dumps into a format tailored for complete KeySet semantics
.PP
.PP
This plugin is a storage plugin that supports full Elektra semantics\&. Combined with a resolver plugin it already assembles a fully featured backend\&. No other plugins are needed\&.
.PP
.SS "Format"
.PP
The file format consists of a simple command language with arguments\&. When an argument is binary or string data the length needs to passed first\&. Because the size is known in advance, any binary dump is accepted\&. Terminating characters present no problem\&. The commands are assembled similar to the ones present in Elektra’s API\&.
.PP
The file starts with the magic word \fCkdbOpen\fP followed by a version number\&. Processing can be stopped immediately when it is not in Elektra’s dump format at all\&. A wrong version number most likely indicates that the version of the plugin is too old to recognise all commands in the file\&. The basic idea of the dump plugin is to write out the way that the KeySet needs to be constructed\&. The dump plugin interprets such a file\&. The file also looks similar to Ccode that would create the KeySet\&. Keys can contain any binary values and arbitrary metadata and are still stored and parsed correctly\&. The dump plugin can even reconstruct pointers to metadata to save memory\&. When a pointer to the same region of memory is found, a special command \fCkeyCopyMeta\fP is written out that is able to reconstruct the data structure the way it was before\&. The commands were designed to make parsing of the file an easy task\&.
.PP
.SS "Format Examples"
.PP
The serialised configuration can look like (0 bytes at end of strings are omitted): 
.PP
.nf
    kdbOpen 1               
    ksNew 207               
    keyNew 27 1             
    system/elektra/mountpoints               
    keyMeta 8 27            
    commentBelow are the mountpoints.                
    keyEnd          
    keyNew 32 19             
    system/elektra/mountpoints/dbusserialised Backend               
    keyEnd keyNew 39 1              
    system/elektra/mountpoints/dbus/config          
    keyMeta 8 72            
    commentThis is a configuration for a backend, see subkeys for more information          
    keyEnd          
    keyNew 53 1             
    system/elektra/mountpoints/fstab/config/struct/FStab            
    keyCopyMeta 59 11               
    system/elektra/mountpoints/file                 
    systems/config/struct/FStabcheck/type           
    keyEnd          
    ksEnd           

.fi
.PP
.PP
.SS "Examples"
.PP
Export a KeySet using \fCdump\fP: 
.PP
.nf
    kdb export system/example dump > example.ecf

.fi
.PP
.PP
Import a KeySet using \fCdump\fP: 
.PP
.nf
    cat example.ecf | kdb import system/example dump

.fi
.PP
.PP
Using grep/diff or other unix tools on the dump file\&. Make sure that you treat it as text file, e\&.g\&.: 
.PP
.nf
    grep --text mountpoints example.ecf
.fi
.PP