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From 622be1ba3c92be641fb0e7337e0145b25ffc7461 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Guillem Jover <guillem@hadrons.org>
Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2023 20:20:53 +0100
Subject: [PATCH attr 4/7] man: Clarify attr(1) manual page
- Use namespace instead of address space.
- Update xattr namespaces used.
- Make it clear the command is a legacy tool for compatibility with
the IRIX command of the same name.
- Mention that the initial intended filesystem was XFS, but can work
with other filesystems.
- Change reference to xfsdump() to reference to GNU tar xattr support.
Origin: vendor
Forwarded: https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/acl-devel/2020-02/msg00003.html
Signed-off-by: Guillem Jover <guillem@hadrons.org>
---
man/man1/attr.1 | 58 ++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------------
1 file changed, 29 insertions(+), 29 deletions(-)
diff --git a/man/man1/attr.1 b/man/man1/attr.1
index afc8d6c..037b50d 100644
--- a/man/man1/attr.1
+++ b/man/man1/attr.1
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
.\"
.TH ATTR 1 "Extended Attributes" "Dec 2001" "XFS Compatibility API"
.SH NAME
-attr \- extended attributes on XFS filesystem objects
+attr \- legacy tool to handle extended attributes on filesystem objects
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
\fBattr\fP [ \fB\-LRSq\fP ] \fB\-s\fP \fIattrname\fP [ \fB\-V\fP \fIattrvalue\fP ] \c
@@ -37,13 +37,15 @@ attr \- extended attributes on XFS filesystem objects
.fi
.SH OVERVIEW
Extended attributes implement the ability for a user to attach
-name:value pairs to objects within the XFS filesystem.
+name:value pairs to objects within the filesystem.
.PP
This document describes the
.B attr
command, which is mostly compatible with the IRIX command of the same name.
-It is thus aimed specifically at users of the XFS filesystem - for
-filesystem independent extended attribute manipulation, consult the
+It was originally aimed specifically at users of the XFS filesystem, even
+though it can be used now on any filesystem that supports extended attributes,
+but for the generic and more portable interface for filesystem independent
+extended attribute manipulation, consult the
.BR getfattr (1)
and
.BR setfattr (1)
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ use the Kanji character set when displaying that document
and "thumbnail=..." could provide a reduced resolution overview of a
high resolution graphic image.
.PP
-In the XFS filesystem, the
+In supported filesystems, the
.I names
can be up to 256 bytes in length, terminated by the first 0 byte.
The intent is that they be printable ASCII (or other character set)
@@ -64,30 +66,26 @@ The
.I values
can be up to 64KB of arbitrary binary data.
.PP
-Attributes can be attached to all types of XFS inodes:
+Attributes can be attached to all types of inodes:
regular files, directories, symbolic links, device nodes, etc.
.PP
-XFS uses 2 disjoint attribute name spaces associated with every
-filesystem object.
-They are the
-.B root
-and
-.B user
-address spaces.
-The
-.B root
-address space is accessible only to the superuser,
-and then only by specifying a flag argument to the function call.
-Other users will not see or be able to modify attributes in the
-.B root
-address space.
-The
+Extended attributes use several disjoint attribute namespaces associated with
+every filesystem object: the
+.B trusted
+(or
+.B xfsroot
+for compatibility with IRIX) namespace, only accessible and visible to the
+superuser and when requested explicitly with an option,
+the
+.B security
+namespace with the same properties except used for security metadata,
+and the
.B user
-address space is protected by the normal file permissions mechanism,
+namespace, which is protected by the normal file permissions mechanism,
so the owner of the file can decide who is able to see and/or modify
the value of attributes on any particular file.
.SH DESCRIPTION
-The
+The legacy
.B attr
utility allows the manipulation of extended attributes associated with
filesystem objects from within shell scripts.
@@ -162,9 +160,11 @@ When the
.B \-R
option is given and the process has appropriate privileges,
operate in the
-.B root
+.B trusted
+(or
+.BR xfsroot )
attribute namespace rather that the
-.I USER
+.B user
attribute namespace.
.PP
The
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@ The standard file interchange/archive programs
.BR tar (1),
and
.BR cpio (1)
-will not archive or restore extended attributes,
-while the
-.BR xfsdump (8)
-program will.
+will not archive or restore extended attributes.
+Although GNU tar supports handling extended attributes with its
+.B \-\-xattrs
+option.
.SH "CAVEATS"
The list option present in the IRIX version of this command is not supported.
.B getfattr
--
2.47.2
|
