diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml | 30 |
1 files changed, 25 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml b/man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml index 008bff6..2a494b9 100644 --- a/man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml +++ b/man/systemd-tmpfiles.xml @@ -55,9 +55,11 @@ <refsect1> <title>Description</title> - <para><command>systemd-tmpfiles</command> creates, deletes, and cleans up volatile and temporary files - and directories, using the configuration file format and location specified in - <citerefentry><refentrytitle>tmpfiles.d</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>. It must + <para><command>systemd-tmpfiles</command> creates, deletes, and cleans up files and directories, using + the configuration file format and location specified in + <citerefentry><refentrytitle>tmpfiles.d</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>. + Historically, it was designed to manage volatile and temporary files, as the name suggests, but it provides + generic file management functionality and can be used to manage any kind of files. It must be invoked with one or more commands <option>--create</option>, <option>--remove</option>, and <option>--clean</option>, to select the respective subset of operations.</para> @@ -149,8 +151,26 @@ <varlistentry> <term><option>--purge</option></term> - <listitem><para>If this option is passed, all files and directories created by a - <filename>tmpfiles.d/</filename> entry will be deleted.</para> + + <listitem><para>If this option is passed, all files and directories marked for + <emphasis>creation</emphasis> by the <filename>tmpfiles.d/</filename> files specified on the command + line will be <emphasis>deleted</emphasis>. Specifically, this acts on all files and directories + marked with <varname>f</varname>, <varname>F</varname>, <varname>d</varname>, <varname>D</varname>, + <varname>v</varname>, <varname>q</varname>, <varname>Q</varname>, <varname>p</varname>, + <varname>L</varname>, <varname>c</varname>, <varname>b</varname>, <varname>C</varname>, + <varname>w</varname>, <varname>e</varname>. If this switch is used at least one + <filename>tmpfiles.d/</filename> file (or <filename>-</filename> for standard input) must be + specified on the command line or the invocation will be refused, for safety reasons (as otherwise + much of the installed system files might be removed).</para> + + <para>The primary usecase for this option is to automatically remove files and directories that + originally have been created on behalf of an installed packaged at package removal time.</para> + + <para>It is recommended to first run this command in combination with <option>--dry-run</option> + (see below) to verify which files and directories will be deleted.</para> + + <para><emphasis>Warning!</emphasis> This is is usually not the command you want! In most cases + <option>--remove</option> is what you are looking for.</para> <xi:include href="version-info.xml" xpointer="v256"/></listitem> </varlistentry> |