---
name: "apt-dater.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "apt-dater"
version: "0.9.0-8"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/apt-dater.conf"
---

# apt-dater.conf(5)

configuration file of apt-dater(8)

## NAME

apt-dater.conf - configuration file of [apt-dater(8)](/apt-dater/8.md)

## SYNOPSIS

\[Section\]

parameter=*value*

parameter=*value;value;...;*

## DESCRIPTION

The file *apt-dater.conf* is the configuration file for [**apt-dater**(8)](/apt-dater/8.md). [**apt-dater**(8)](/apt-dater/8.md) is a program to manage package updats on a large number of remote hosts using SSH. This man page descripes briefly the parameters of the file *apt-dater.conf*. The default location of this file is *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/apt-dater/hosts.conf*.

The syntax of the configuration file is the syntax of glib keyfiles.

## OPTIONS

### Section \[Paths\]

HostsFile=*$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/apt-dater/hosts.conf*

The location of the file contains all host which will be managed with **apt-dater**. (optional)

StatsDir=*$XDG\_DATA\_HOME/apt-dater*

The location of the directory which contains the status files of any host. (optional)

### Section \[Screen\]

RCFile=*$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/apt-dater/screenrc*

Location of [screen(1)](/screen/1.md) config file. (optional)

Title=*%m # %u@%h:%p*

Template for screen titles using string escapes. (optional)

NoDumps=*false*

Enables/disables support of screen dumps. (optional)

QueryMaintainer=*0*

If set to 1, apt-dater will ask for the maintainers name on startup. If set to 2, apt-dater will only ask if no MAINTAINER environment variable is set.

### Section \[SSH\]

Cmd=*/usr/bin/ssh*

The location of ssh-client binary.

SFTPCmd

The command to initiate sftp file transfer e.g. **/usr/bin/sftp**

OptionalCmdFlags

Additional ssh-client command flags, which will be appended.

SpawnAgent=*false*

If enabled, apt-dater tries to spawn [ssh-agent(1)](/ssh-agent/1.md) if none is already running. [ssh-add(1)](/ssh-add/1.md) will be called to load your private keys.

AddKeys

List of private keys which should be loaded when apt-dater calls [ssh-add(1)](/ssh-add/1.md).

### Section \[Commands\]

CmdRefresh=*apt-dater-host refresh*

The command which will be used to refresh the status of the managed host.

CmdUpgrade=*apt-dater-host upgrade*

The command which will be used to intitate a upgrade of a managed host.

CmdInstall=*apt-dater-host install %s*

The command which will be used to update a single package. *%s* will be replaced by the name of the package.

### Section \[Appearance\]

Colors

Set your own color style of the ui components. To highlight colors you can use the *bright*\* keyword. Example: Colors=menu brightgreen blue;status brightgreen blue;selector black red;

.\
    Components are:

default

menu

status

selector

hoststatus

query

input

Colors are:

**default**

**black**

**cyan**

**green**

**magenta**

**red**

**white**

**yellow**

### Section \[AutoRef\]

enabled=*true*

Enabled the auto refresh feature if compiled in (see README.autoref).

### Section \[Notify\]

bell=*true*

Enables user notification by terminal bell.

flash=*true*

Enables user notification by terminal flashing.

### Section \[History\]

ErrPattern=*(error\|warning\|fail)*

A regular expression pattern to match the screen output. A match indicates the user should be asked to review the output (using less). (Optional)

record=*true*

Enables session recording using [script(1)](/script/1.md). (Optional)

### Section \[Hooks\]

PreUpdate=*/etc/apt-dater/pre-upg.d*, PreRefresh=*/etc/apt-dater/pre-ref.d*, PreInstall=*/etc/apt-dater/pre-ins.d*, PreConnect=*/etc/apt-dater/pre-con.d*, PostUpdate=*/etc/apt-dater/post-upg.d*, PostRefresh=*/etc/apt-dater/post-ref.d*, PostInstall=*/etc/apt-dater/post-ins.d*, PostConnect=*/etc/apt-dater/post-con.d*

Hooks to be run before and after an action on a host is done. The values should be path names, any executable script within these directories will be run by [**run-parts**(8)](/run-parts/8.md).

## STRING ESCAPES

[**apt-dater**(8)](/apt-dater/8.md) provides an string escape mechanism. The escape character is '%'.

    .sp\
 **Table 1. List of supported escapes.**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| escape | replaced by |
| % | escape character |
| h | hostname |
| m | maintainer name |
| p | SSH port number |
| u | SSH username |

## FILES

*apt-dater.conf*

The configuration file of apt-dater.

*hosts.conf*

Contains all hosts you would like to manage.

## SEE ALSO

[apt-dater(8)](/apt-dater/8.md), [aptitude(1)](/aptitude/1.md), apt-get(1), debtrack, [screen(1)](/screen/1.md), [script(1)](/script/1.md), [ssh(1)](/ssh/1.md), **XDG Base Directory Specification**\[1\].

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2008-2012 IBH IT-Service GmbH \[**http://www.ibh.de/**\]\

## NOTES

- 1\.

  XDG Base Directory Specification

  http://www.freedesktop.org/Standards/basedir-spec