---
name: "archive-pmc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ncbi-entrez-direct"
version: "24.0.20250523+dfsg-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/archive-pmc"
---

# archive-pmc(1)

maintain a local NCBI PubMed Central archive

## NAME

archive-pmc - maintain a local NCBI PubMed Central archive

## SYNOPSIS

**archive-pmc** \[\[**-**\]**download**\] \[\[**-**\]**verify**\] \[\[**-**\]**missing**\] \[\[**-**\]**daily**\|\[**-**\]\[**re**\]**index**\] \[\[**-**\]**stem**\[**med**\]\] \[\[**-**\]**clean**\|\[**-**\]**clear**\|\[**-**\]**scrap**\|\[**-**\]**scrub**\|\[**-**\]**scour**\|\[**-**\]**erase**\|\[**-**\]**zap**\] \[**-info**\] \[**-ftp**\|**-http**\[**s**\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

**archive-pmc** prepares a directory to hold a local PubMed Central archive, then downloads a full database dump from NCBI's servers, organizes the dump into an [**rchive**(1)](/rchive/1.md) trie, and refreshes the versioned records.

## OPTIONS

- \[**-**\]**download**

  Download the dump but perform no further processing.

- \[**-**\]**verify**

  Verify that all downloaded files are in good shape.

- \[**-**\]**missing**

  Check for missing downloads.

- \[**-**\]**daily**

  Additionally produce or update an inverted index.

- \[**-**\]\[**re**\]**index**

  Fully reindex, complete with an inverted index.

- \[**-**\]**stem**\[**med**\]

  Additionally index unsuffixed variants of terms.

- \[**-**\]**clean**\|\[**-**\]**clear**

  Delete **Indices** contents and **Increment** files.

- \[**-**\]**scrap**

  Delete **Postings** directories.

- \[**-**\]**scrub**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, and **Postings** directories.

- \[**-**\]**scour**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, and **Postings**, **Data**, **Archive**, and **Sentinel** directories.

- \[**-**\]**erase**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, **Postings**, **Data**, **Archive**, and **Sentinel** directories, and **Extras** directory contents.

- \[**-**\]**zap**

  Delete entire archive.

- **-info**

  Check whether the archive is complete and up to date; report what's wrong if it isn't.

- **-ftp**

  Download needed data via FTP (default).

- **-http**\[**s**\]

  Download needed data via HTTPS.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **EDIRECT\_LOCAL\_ARCHIVE**

  Local archive directory to use; expected to hold an absolute path.

- **EDIRECT\_LOCAL\_WORKING**

  Directory to hold intermediate subtrees; expected to hold an absolute path. Defaults to the local archive directory when not set.

## SEE ALSO

[**archive-nihocc**(1)](/archive-nihocc/1.md), [**archive-nlmnlp**(1)](/archive-nlmnlp/1.md), [**archive-nmcds**(1)](/archive-nmcds/1.md), [**archive-pids**(1)](/archive-pids/1.md), [**archive-pubmed**(1)](/archive-pubmed/1.md), [**archive-taxonomy**(1)](/archive-taxonomy/1.md), [**download-pmc**(1)](/download-pmc/1.md), [**pm-clean**(1)](/pm-clean/1.md), [**pm-prepare**(1)](/pm-prepare/1.md), [**pm-setup**(1)](/pm-setup/1.md), [**nquire**(1)](/nquire/1.md), [**rchive**(1)](/rchive/1.md), [**xfetch**(1)](/xfetch/1.md), [**xfilter**(1)](/xfilter/1.md), [**xinfo**(1)](/xinfo/1.md), [**xlink**(1)](/xlink/1.md), [**xsearch**(1)](/xsearch/1.md). [**xtract**(1)](/xtract/1.md).