bup-meta - create or extract a metadata archive

       Rob Browning rlb@defaultvalue.org

Bup 0.33.7                                         2025-01-11                                        bup-meta(1)

       Hard links are not handled yet.

       Part of the bup(1) suite.

       bup  meta 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.

       See bup-restore(1) for a description of the way ownership metadata is restored.

              # 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

       bup-meta - create or extract a metadata archive

       -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 input 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.

       --edit Edit metadata archives.  The result will be written to standard output 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.

       --xdev, --one-file-system
              don’t cross filesystem boundaries – though as with tar and rsync, the mount points themselves will
              still be handled.

       --numeric-ids
              Apply numeric IDs (user, group, etc.)  rather than names 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.

       --set-uid=uid
              Set the metadata uid to the integer uid during --edit.

       --set-gid=gid
              Set the metadata gid to the integer gid during --edit.

       --set-user=user
              Set the metadata user to user during --edit.

       --unset-user
              Remove the metadata user during --edit.

       --set-group=group
              Set the metadata user to group during --edit.

       --unset-group
              Remove the metadata group during --edit.

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

       -q, --quiet
              Be quiet.

       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]

       bup meta --edit
              [--set-uid uid | --set-gid gid | --set-user user | --set-group group | ...]  <paths...>