NAME

confctl - sysctl-like tool for config files

SYNOPSIS

confctl [-CEIS] -a [-n] config-file
confctl [-CEIS] [-n] config-file variable-name ...
confctl [-CEIS] -w variable-name=value config-file
confctl [-CEIS] -x variable-name config-file

DESCRIPTION

confctl provides access to configuration files in C-like syntax via sysctl(8)-like interface, making it easy to use from shell scripts.

The following options are available:

-a

Show all the variables and their values.

-n

Show only values, not names.

-w

Change value of configuration variable and update the configuration file. Variable is created if it doesn't yet exist.

-x

Delete the variable and update the configuration file.

-C

Recognize C++ double slash ('//') and slash star ('/* ... */') comment markers.

-E

Use equals sign (' = ') to separate values from names. Without this option, the equals sign is ignored, i.e. treated as whitespace.

-I

Instead of writing a temporary file and then atomically replacing the configuration file, rewrite it in place. It also makes confctl acquire a file lock when reading or writing the configuration file.

-S

Use semicolon (';') after values. Note that the semicolon is always treated as terminating character when parsing, regardless of this option.

EXAMPLES

Say you have a configuration file that looks like this:

interfaces {
	eth0 {
		ip-address	192.168.1.1
		mtu		9000
	}
	eth1 {
		ip-address	192.168.2.1
		description	"Uplink to Telia"
	}
}

You can access all the variables like this (note the -a option):

% confctl -a config-file
interfaces.eth0.ip-address=192.168.1.1
interfaces.eth0.mtu=9000
interfaces.eth1.ip-address=192.168.2.1
interfaces.eth1.description="Uplink to Telia"

You can also query individual variables:

% confctl config-file interfaces.eth0.ip-address interfaces.eth1.ip-address
interfaces.eth0.ip-address=192.168.1.1
interfaces.eth1.ip-address=192.168.2.1

To modify a variable, use the -w option:

% confctl -w interfaces.eth0.ip-address=192.168.1.2 config-file

You can pass the -w option multiple times to set several variables at once. You use exactly the same syntax to add new variables:

% confctl -w interfaces.eth2.ip-address=10.0.0.1 -w interfaces.eth2.netmask=24 config-file
% confctl config-file interfaces.eth2
interfaces.eth2.ip-address=10.0.0.1
interfaces.eth2.netmask=24
% cat config-file
interfaces {
	eth0 {
		ip-address	192.168.1.1
		mtu		9000
	}
	eth1 {
		ip-address	192.168.2.1
		description	"Uplink to Telia"
	}
	eth2 {
		ip-address	10.0.0.1
		netmask		24
	}
}

Note that file modification preserves formatting and indentation. It also preserves all the comments, including ones for variables modified in place.

Also note that by default, modification is done by writing a temporary copy of the file, in the same containing directory, and then renaming it, replacing the old file. This will fail if it's impossible to create new files, and won't do the right thing when the file name is a symlink. In that case, use -I option to rewrite configuration file in place.

AUTHOR

Edward Tomasz Napierala <trasz@FreeBSD.org>

SEE ALSO

sysctl(8)