File: gdbm.info,  Node: invocation,  Next: shell,  Up: gdbmtool

24.1 gdbmtool invocation
========================

When started without additional arguments, 'gdbmtool' operates on the
default database 'junk.gdbm'.  Otherwise, the first argument supplies
the name of the database to operate upon.  If neither any additional
arguments nor the '-f' ('--file') option are given, 'gdbmtool' opens
starts interactive shell and receives commands directly from the human
operator.

   If more than one argument is given, all arguments past the database
name are parsed as 'gdbmtool' commands (*note shell::, for a description
of available commands) and executed in turn.  All commands, except the
last one, should be terminated with semicolons.  Semicolon after the
last command is optional.  Note, that semicolons should be escaped in
order to prevent them from being interpreted by the shell.

   Finally, if the '-f' ('--file') option is supplied, its argument
specifies the name of the disk file with 'gdbmtool' script.  The program
will open that file and read commands from it.

   The following table summarizes all 'gdbmtool' command line options:

'-b SIZE'
'--block-size=SIZE'
     Set block size.

'-c SIZE'
'--cache-size=SIZE'
     Set cache size.

'-d FD'
'--db-descriptor=FD'
     Use the database referred to by the file descriptor FD.  This must
     be a valid open file descriptor, obtained by a call to 'open'
     (*note open a file: (open(2))open.), 'creat' or a similar function.
     The database will be opened using 'gdbm_fd_open' (*note
     gdbm_fd_open::).

     This option is intended for use by automatic test suites.

'-f FILE'
'--file FILE'
     Read commands from FILE, instead of the standard input.

'-h'
'--help'
     Print a concise help summary.

'-N'
'--norc'
     Don't read startup files (*note startup files::).

'-n'
'--newdb'
     Create the database.

'-l'
'--no-lock'
     Disable file locking.

'-m'
'--no-mmap'
     Disable memory mapping.

'-T'
'--timing'
     Print time spent in each command.  This is equivalent to setting
     the 'timing' variable.  *Note timing: variables.

'-t'
'--trace'
     Enable command tracing.  This is equivalent to setting the 'trace'
     variable.  *Note trace: variables.

'-q'
'--quiet'
     Don't print the usual welcome banner at startup.  This is the same
     as setting the variable 'quiet' in the startup file.  *Note
     quiet::.

'-r'
'--read-only'
     Open the database in read-only mode.

'-s'
'--synchronize'
     Synchronize to the disk after each write.

'-V'
'--version'
     Print program version and licensing information and exit.

'--usage'
     Print a terse invocation syntax summary along with a list of
     available command line options.

'-x'
'--extended'
'--numsync'
     Create new database in extended (numsync) format (*note Numsync::).
     This option sets the 'format' variable to 'numsync'.  *Note format
     variable::.