bin/chflags/chflags.1

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.\"	@(#)chflags.1	8.4 (Berkeley) 5/2/95
.\" $FreeBSD$
.\"
.Dd March 3, 2006
.Dt CHFLAGS 1
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm chflags
.Nd change file flags
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm
.Op Fl fhv
.Oo
.Fl R
.Op Fl H | Fl L | Fl P
.Oc
.Ar flags
.Ar
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
utility modifies the file flags of the listed files
as specified by the
.Ar flags
operand.
.Pp
The options are as follows:
.Bl -tag -width indent
.It Fl f
Do not display a diagnostic message if
.Nm
could not modify the flags for
.Va file ,
nor modify the exit status to reflect such failures.
.It Fl H
If the
.Fl R
option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed.
(Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)
.It Fl h
If the
.Ar file
is a symbolic link,
change the file flags of the link itself rather than the file to which it points.
.It Fl L
If the
.Fl R
option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.
.It Fl P
If the
.Fl R
option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.
This is the default.
.It Fl R
Change the file flags for the file hierarchies rooted
in the files instead of just the files themselves.
.It Fl v
Cause
.Nm
to be verbose, showing filenames as the flags are modified.
If the
.Fl v
option is specified more than once, the old and new flags of the file
will also be printed, in octal notation.
.El
.Pp
The flags are specified as an octal number or a comma separated list
of keywords.
The following keywords are currently defined:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -offset indent -width ".Cm opaque"
.It Cm arch , archived
set the archived flag (super-user only)
.It Cm opaque
set the opaque flag (owner or super-user only)
.It Cm nodump
set the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)
.It Cm sappnd , sappend
set the system append-only flag (super-user only)
.It Cm schg , schange , simmutable
set the system immutable flag (super-user only)
.It Cm sunlnk , sunlink
set the system undeletable flag (super-user only)
.It Cm uappnd , uappend
set the user append-only flag (owner or super-user only)
.It Cm uchg , uchange , uimmutable
set the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
.It Cm uunlnk , uunlink
set the user undeletable flag (owner or super-user only)
.El
.Pp
Putting the letters
.Dq Ar no
before or removing the letters
.Dq Ar no
from a keyword causes the flag to be cleared.
For example:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -offset indent -width "nouchg" -compact
.It Cm nouchg
clear the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
.It Cm dump
clear the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)
.El
.Pp
A few of the octal values include:
.Bl -tag -offset indent -width ".Li 10"
.It Li 0
Clear all file flags.
.It Li 1
Translates to the
.Cm nodump
keyword.
.It Li 2
Translates to the
.Cm uchg
keyword.
.It Li 3
Translates to the
.Cm uchg , nodump
keywords.
.It Li 4
Translates to the
.Cm uappnd
keyword.
.It Li 10
Translates to the
.Cm opaque
keyword.
.It Li 20
translates to the
.Cm uunlnk
keyword.
.El
.Pp
Other combinations of keywords may be placed by using
the octets assigned; however, these are the most notable.
.Pp
Unless the
.Fl H ,
.Fl L ,
or
.Fl h
options are given,
.Nm
on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect.
The
.Fl H ,
.Fl L
and
.Fl P
options are ignored unless the
.Fl R
option is specified.
In addition, these options override each other and the
command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
.Pp
You can use "ls -lo" to see the flags of existing files.
.Pp
Note that the ability to change certain flags is dependent
on the current kernel
.Va securelevel
setting.
See
.Xr security 7
for more information on this setting.
.Sh EXIT STATUS
.Ex -std
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr ls 1 ,
.Xr chflags 2 ,
.Xr stat 2 ,
.Xr fts 3 ,
.Xr security 7 ,
.Xr symlink 7
.Sh HISTORY
The
.Nm
command first appeared in
.Bx 4.4 .
.Sh BUGS
Only a limited number of utilities are
.Nm
aware.
Some of these tools include
.Xr ls 1 ,
.Xr cp 1 ,
.Xr find 1 ,
.Xr install 1 ,
.Xr dump 8 ,
and
.Xr restore 8 .
In particular a tool which is not currently
.Nm
aware is the
.Xr pax 1
utility.