Index Index for
Section 4
Index Alphabetical
listing for P
Bottom of page Bottom of
page		 

proplist(4)


NAME

  proplist - The storing, parsing, and retrieving of Extended File Attributes


DESCRIPTION

  Tru64 UNIX supports the storing, parsing, and retrieving of Extended File
  Attributes.  An Extended File Attribute is a name and value pair that is
  contained in a variable-sized structure called a Property List.  A Property
  List is part of a file's metadata and can contain abstract name and value
  pairs (Extended File Attributes) that can be set either by the operating
  system (for example, ACLs and privileges) or by a user-level application
  (for example, PC File Attributes).

  Since Extended File Attributes are treated as an extension to a file's
  metadata, they are synchronously updated, thereby ensuring consistency.
  Note that Extended File Attributes set by user-level applications are
  treated as opaque and can be virtually anything.

  To ensure that all Property List names are unique, you must register your
  Property List names with Compaq.  Those Property List names with a DEC_
  prefix are reserved by Compaq.  In the case of conflicts, Compaq reserves
  the right to arbitrate the naming conventions of Property Lists.

  To register a Property List name, send a request by network mail to
  file_proplist_admin@zk3.dec.com or write to:

  Tru64 UNIX File System Group
  ATTN: Property List Administrator
  Compaq Computer Corporation
  110 Spit Brook Road
  Nashua, NH. 03062-2698
  M/S ZKO3-3/U14

  Several user-level routines, listed in the Related Information section,
  work together to manipulate Extended File Attributes.	 For example:

    ·  To set attributes, you use the sizeof_proplist_entry(3) and
       add_proplist_entry(3) routines to initialize the Extended File
       Attribute buffer passed to setproplist(3) or fsetproplist(3).

    ·  To fetch attributes, you use getproplist(3) or fgetproplist(3).

    ·  To parse the attribute buffer returned by setproplist(3) or
       fsetproplist(3), use the get_proplist_entry(3) routine.

  The format of the Extended File Attributes buffer, the values of the
  system-wide properties, and the format of the Property List structures are
  all defined in sys/proplist.h.


NOTES

  Extended File Attributes are supported by the Advanced File System (AdvFS),
  the UNIX File System (UFS), and the Network File System (NFS).  The latter
  through the use of the proplistd daemon and the mount -o proplist command.

  The archive utilities (pax, tar, cpio, dump, restore, vdump, and vrestore)
  support files with Extended File Attributes.	However, third-party archive
  utilities may not support Extended File Attributes and, consequently, if
  they are used on files with Extended File Attributes, the Extended File
  Attributes will be lost.


RELATED INFORMATION

  Functions: add_proplist_entry(3), delproplist(3), fdelproplist(3),
  fgetproplist(3), fsetproplist(3), get_proplist_entry(3), getproplist(3),
  setproplist(3), sizeof_proplist_entry(3).

  Files: libproplist.a, libproplist.so, sys/proplist.h, acl(4).

  Daemons: proplistd(8).

Index Index for
Section 4
Index Alphabetical
listing for P
Top of page Top of
page