packingrules(4)

NAME

     packingrules - packing rules file for cachefs and filesync

SYNOPSIS

     $HOME/.packingrules

DESCRIPTION

     $HOME/.packingrules is a packing rules file for filesync and
     cachefspack.  $HOME/.packingrules  contains a list of direc-
     tories and files that are to be packed and synchronized.  It
     also  contains  a list of directories and files that  are to
     be specifically excluded from packing  and  synchronization.
     See  filesync(1) and  cachefspack(1M).

     The $HOME/.packingrules file  is  automatically  created  if
     users  invoke  filesync  with  filename  arguments. By using
     filesync options, users can augment  the  packing  rules  in
     $HOME/.packingrules.

     Many users choose to manually create the packing rules  file
     and  edit  it  by  hand.  Users can edit $HOME/.packingrules
     (using   any   editor)    to    permanently    change    the
     $HOME/.packingrules file, or to gain access to more powerful
     options that are not available from the command  line  (such
     as  IGNORE  commands).  It  is  much easier to enter complex
     wildcard  expressions  by  editing  the  $HOME/.packingrules
     file.

     Blank lines and lines that begin with a  pound  sign   (`#')
     are ignored.

     Any line can be continued  by  placing  a  backslash   (`\')
     immediately before the  NEWLINE.

     All other lines in the  $HOME/.packingrules file have one of
     the following formats:

     PACKINGRULES
           major. minor.  This line is not actually required, but
           it  should  be  the first  line of every packing rules
           file. This line identifies the packing rules file  for
           the   file(1)  command  and specifies a format version
           number.  The  current  version  number  is  1.1.   See
           file(1).

     BASE directory-1 [directory-2]
           This line identifies a directory (or  pair  of  direc-
           tories)  under  which  files should be packed and syn-
           chronized. At least one directory name must be  speci-
           fied.  For  rules  that  are  to be used by filesync a
           second directory name (where  the  copies  are  to  be
           kept)  must  also  be specified. The arguments must be
           fully qualified path names, and may  include  environ-
           ment variables.

     LIST name ...
           This  line  enumerates  a  list  of  files  and   sub-
           directories  (beneath the current
            BASE) that are to be kept  synchronized. This specif-
           ication is recursive, in that specifying the name of a
           directory automatically includes all  files  and  sub-
           directories  it  contains.  Regular  expressions   (as
           described in glob   and  gmatch)  are  permitted.  See
           glob(1) and  gmatch(3GEN).

     IGNORE name ...
           This line enumerates a list of files that are  not  to
           be  kept  synchronized.   Regular  expressions  (using
           glob  and gmatch) are permitted.

     There are important differences  between  the  arguments  to
     LIST  and  IGNORE statements. The arguments to a LIST state-
     ment can contain slashes and are interpreted as  file  names
     relative  to  the   BASE  directories.  The  arguments to an
     IGNORE statement are simpler names or expressions that  can-
     not contain slashes. An IGNORE statement will not override a
     LIST statement. IGNORE statements only  exclude  files  that
     are found beneath LISTed directories.

     If the first name argument to a  LIST statement begins  with
     an  exclamation point  (`!'), the remainder of the statement
     will be executed as a command. The command will  be  run  in
     the  current  BASE directory. The output of the command will
     be treated as a  list of newline separated file names to  be
     packed/synchronized. The resulting file names will be inter-
     preted relative to the enclosing  BASE directory.

     If the first name argument to an   IGNORE  statement  begins
     with  an  exclamation  point   (`!'),  the  remainder of the
     statement will be executed as a command. The command will be
     run  in  the  current  BASE  directory.  The command will be
     expected to figure out which names should not  be  synchron-
     ized. The output of the command will be treated as a list of
     newline separated file names that should  be  excluded  from
     the packing and synchronization list.

     Commands will be broken  into  distinct  arguments  and  run
     directly  with  sh -c. Blanks can be embedded in an argument
     by escaping them with a backslash  (`\')  or  enclosing  the
     argument  in   double  quotes  (` " '). Double quotes can be
     passed in arguments by escaping the  double  quotes  with  a
     backslash (`\').

     LIST lines only apply to the  BASE statement  that  precedes
     them. IGNORE lines can appear before any  BASE statement (in
     which case  they apply to all BASEs) or after a  BASE state-
     ment  (in which case  they only apply to the  BASE that pre-
     cedes them). Any number of  these statements  can  occur  in
     any combination. The order is not important.

EXAMPLES

     Example 1: A sample $HOME.packingrules file.

     The use of these statements is illustrated in the  following
     $HOME.packingrules file.

     #
     # junk files, not worth copying
     #
     IGNORE core *.o *.bak *%
     #
     # most of the stuff I want to keep in sync is in my $HOME
     #
     BASE /net/bigserver/export/home/myname $HOME
     # everything in my work sub-directory should be maintained
     LIST work
     # a few of my favorite mail boxes should be replicated
     LIST m/incoming
     LIST m/action
     LIST m/pending
     #
     # I like to carry around a couple of project directories
     # but skip all the postscript output
     #
     BASE /net/bigserver/export/projects $HOME/projects
     LIST poindexter epiphany
     IGNORE *.ps
     #
     # the foonly package should always be kept on every machine
     #
     BASE /net/bigserver/opt/foonly /opt/foonly
     LIST !cat .packinglist
     #
     # and the latest executables for the standard build environment
     #
     BASE /net/bigserver/export/buildenv $HOME/buildenv
     LIST !find . -type f -a -perm -111 -a -print

SEE ALSO

     file(1), filesync(1), cachefspack(1M)