bbackupquery
8
bbackupquery
Box Backup store query and retrieval
bbackupquery [-q] [-c configfile] [commands ...]
Description
bbackupquery is the main way of interacting with
the backup store from a Box Backup client machine. It supports both
interactive and batch modes of operation.
It can be used to reviewing the status of a client machine's backup
store, getting status from the store server. The main use is to retrieve
files and directories when needed.
bbackupquery supports interactive and batch modes
of operation. Interactive mode allows for interaction with the server much
like an interactive FTP client.
Batch mode is invoked by putting commands into the invocation of
bbackupquery. Example:
bbackupquery "list home-dirs" quit
Note that commands that contain spaces are enclosed in double
quotes. If the quit command is omitted, after the
preceding commands are completed, bbackupquery will
enter interactive mode.
Options
-q: Quiet. Suppresses status output while
running.
-c configfile: Use config file, instead of the default
bbackupd.conf file. Can be a relative or full path.
Commands
The commands that can be used in bbackupquery
are listed below.
help
Displays the basic help message, which gives information about
the commands available in bbackupquery. Use the form help
command, to get help on a specific command.
quit
End the session with the store server, and quit
bbackupquery.
cd [options] <directory-name>
Change directory. Options:
-d -- consider deleted directories for
traversal
-o -- consider old versions of
directories for traversal. This option should never be useful in
a correctly formed store.
lcd <local-directory-name>
Change directory on the client machine. To list the contents
of the local directory, type sh ls (on unix-like
machines). TODO: Does sh dir work on
Windows?
list [options] [directory-name]
The list (or its synonym
ls) command lists the content of the current, or
specified, directory. The options are as follows:
-r -- recursively list all files
-d -- list deleted files and
directories
-o -- list old versions of files and
directories
-I -- don't display object IDs
-F -- don't display flags
-t -- show file modification time (and
attr mod time, if the object has attributes.
-s -- show file size in blocks used on
server. Note that this is only a very approximate indication of
local file size.
ls [options] [directory-name]
Synonym for list.
pwd
Print current directory, always relative to the backup store
root.
sh <shell command>
Everything after the sh is passed to a shell and run. All
output from the command is displayed in the client.
Example: to list the contents of the current directory on the
client machine type sh ls.
compare -a
compare -l <location-name>
compare <store-dir-name>
<local-dir-name>
Compare the current data in the store with the data on the
disc. Please note that all the data will be downloaded from the
store, so this can be a very lengthy process depending on the size
of the store, and the size of the part you are comparing.
Options:
-a -- compare all locations.
-l -- compare one backup location as
specified in the configuration file. This compares one of the
top level store directories.
-c -- set return code. The return code
is set to the following values, if quit is
the next command. So, if another command is run after the
compare, the return code will not refer to
the compare. This option is very useful for
automating compares. Return code values:
1 -- no differences were found
2 -- differences were found
3 -- an error occured
get <object-filename>
[<local-filename>]
get -i <object-id>
<local-filename>
Gets a file from the store. Object is specified as the
filename within the current directory. Local filename is optional.
Ignores old and deleted files when searching the directory for the
file to retrieve.
To get an old or deleted file, use the -i
option and select the object as a hex object ID (first column in
listing). The local filename must be specified.
getobject <object-id>
<local-filename>
Gets the object specified by the object id (in hex) and stores
the raw contents in the local file specified. Note: This is only useful for debugging as it
does not decode files from the stored format, which is encrypted and
compressed.
restore [-d] <directory-name>
<local-directory-name>
restore -r
Restores a directory to the local disc. The local directory
specified must not exist (unless a previous restore is being
restarted). The root cannot be restored -- restore locations
individually.
Options:
-d -- restore a deleted
directory
-r -- resume an interrupted
restore
If a restore operation is interrupted for any reason, it can
be restarted using the -r switch. Restore
progress information is saved in a file at regular intervals during
the restore operation to allow restarts.
usage
Show space used on the server for this account. Display
fields:
Used: Total amount of space used on the
server
Old files: Space used by old
files
Deleted files: Space used by deleted
files
Directories: Space used by the
directory structure
When Used exceeds the soft limit, the server will start to
remove old and deleted files until the usage drops below the soft
limit. After a while, you should expect to see the usage stay at
just below the soft limit. You only need more space if the space
used by old and deleted files is near zero.
Author
Ben Summers and contributors. For help, please go to the Wiki, or subscribe to the Box
Backup mailing
list.
See Also
bbackupd.conf(5)
Files
bbackupquery uses the Box Backup client
configuration file, usually located in
/etc/box/bbackupd.conf. On Windows this file is
usually located in the installation directory, and is named
bbackupd.conf as well.
Bugs
If you find a bug in Box Backup, and you want to let us know about
it, join the mailing
list, and send a description of the problem there.
To report a bug, give us at least the following information:
The version of Box Backup you are running
The platform you are running on (hardware and OS), for both
client and server.
If possible attach your config files (bbstored.conf,
bbackupd.conf) to the bug report.
Also attach any log file output that helps shed light on the
problem you are seeing.
And last but certainly not least, a description of what you are
seeing, in as much detail as possible.