mandb - create or update the manual page index caches
mandb [-dqsucpt?V] [-C file]
[manpath]
mandb [-dqsut] [-C file] -f
filename ...
mandb is used to initialise or manually update index
database caches. The caches contain information relevant to the current
state of the manual page system and the information stored within them is
used by the man-db utilities to enhance their speed and functionality.
When creating or updating an index, mandb will warn
of bad ROFF .so requests, bogus manual page filenames and manual pages from
which the whatis cannot be parsed.
Supplying mandb with an optional colon-delimited path will
override the internal system manual page hierarchy search path, determined
from information found within the man-db configuration file.
mandb can be compiled with support for any one of the
following database types.
| Name |
Async |
Filename |
| Berkeley db |
Yes |
index.bt |
| GNU gdbm |
Yes |
index.db |
| UNIX ndbm |
No |
index.(dir|pag) |
Those database types that support asynchronous updates provide
enhanced speed at the cost of possible corruption in the event of unusual
termination. In an unusual case where this has occurred, it may be necessary
to rerun mandb with the -c option to re-create the databases
from scratch.
- -d, --debug
- Foutinformatie tonen.
- -q, --quiet
- Produce no warnings.
- -s,
--no-straycats
- Do not spend time looking for or adding information to the databases
regarding stray cats.
- -p,
--no-purge
- Do not spend time checking for deleted manual pages and purging them from
the databases.
- -c, --create
- By default, mandb will try to update any previously created
databases. If a database does not exist, it will create it. This option
forces mandb to delete previous databases and re-create them from
scratch, and implies --no-purge. This may be necessary if a
database becomes corrupt or if a new database storage scheme is introduced
in the future.
- -u, --user-db
- Create user databases only, even with write permissions necessary to
create system databases.
- -t, --test
- Perform correctness checks on manual pages in the hierarchy search path.
With this option, mandb will not alter existing databases.
- -f,
--filename
- Update only the entries for the given filename. This option is not for
general use; it is used internally by man when it has been compiled
with the MAN_DB_UPDATES option and finds that a page is out of
date. It implies -p and disables -c and -s.
- -C bestand, --config-file=bestand
- Gebruik dit gebruikersconfiguratiebestand in plaats van de standaard van
~/.manpath.
- -?, --help
- Show the usage message, then exit.
- --usage
- Print a short usage message and exit.
- -V, --version
- Show the version, then exit.
- 0
- Programma correct uitgevoerd.
- 1
- Usage, syntax, or configuration file error.
- 2
- Uitvoeringsfout.
- 3
- A child process failed.
The following warning messages can be emitted during database
building.
- <filename>: whatis parse for page(sec) failed
- An attempt to extract whatis line(s) from the given <filename>
failed. This is usually due to a poorly written manual page, but if many
such messages are emitted it is likely that the system contains
non-standard manual pages which are incompatible with the man-db whatis
parser. See the WHATIS PARSING section in lexgrog(1) for
more information.
- <filename>: is a dangling symlink
- <filename> does not exist but is referenced by a symbolic link.
Further diagnostics are usually emitted to identify the <filename>
of the offending link.
- <filename>: bad symlink or ROFF `.so' request
- <filename> is either a symbolic link to, or contains a ROFF include
request to, a non existent file.
- <filename>: genegeerde onzin bestandsnaam
-
<filename> kan een al dan niet geldige man-pagina zijn, maar de naam
is ongeldig. Dit wordt meestal veroorzaakt door een man-pagina met een
uitbreiding van de sectie <x> die in de man-paginasectie <y>
is gestopt.
- <filename_mask>: strijdende extensies
- Het jokerteken <filename_mask> is niet uniek. Dit wordt meestal
veroorzaakt door het bestaan van zowel een gecomprimeerde als een
gedecomprimeerde versie van dezelfde man-pagina. Alle behalve de meeste
recente versie worden genegeerd.
- /etc/manpath.config
- man-db-configuratiebestand.
- /var/cache/man/index.(bt|db|dir|pag)
- Een algemene index-database-cache, in overeenstemming met FHS.
Oudere locaties van de database-cache bestaan uit:
- /usr/man/index.(bt|db|dir|pag)
- Een traditionele, algemene index-database-cache.
- /var/catman/index.(bt|db|dir|pag)
- An alternate or FSSTND compliant global index database cache.
Wilf. (G.Wilford@ee.surrey.ac.uk).
Fabrizio Polacco (fpolacco@debian.org).
Colin Watson (cjwatson@debian.org).
https://gitlab.com/man-db/man-db/-/issues
https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?group=man-db