---
name: "autodir"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "autodir"
version: "0.99.9-10+b1"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/autodir"
---

# autodir(8)

manage home directories

## NAME

autodir - manage home directories

## SYNOPSIS

**autodir** \[OPTIONS\]

## DESCRIPTION

**autodir** is a command to organize home directories, usually for user accounts from a centralized database like LDAP, SQL, NIS, etc... It also has transparent backup features.

## OPTIONS

- **-d** ***DIR***

  Specifies the virtual base directory; the mount point for the autofs filesystem. If *DIR* does not exist, it will be created. An absolute path is expected for this option.

- **-t** ***SECONDS***

  Expiration timeout for virtual directories. If a directory is inactive for *SECONDS*, it will be unmounted.

- **-m** ***MODULE***

  Module to be used with autodir. The full path to *MODULE* is expected.

- **-n**

  Do not kill the backup process and wait for it to finish.

- **-N**

  Do not kill the backup process, but do NOT wait for it to finish.

- **-o** ***SUBOPTS***

  All options *SUBOPTS* are passed to the module. This option passing syntax is similar to that of the mount command with its -o option. See specific module's documentation for more info.

- **-f**

  q Run in the foreground and log all messages to the console. For debugging purpose and to see how autodir works.

- **-l** ***FILE***

  Full path to a file in which autodir will write its process id.

- **-h**

  Display help about autodir options.

- **-v**

  Display version information.

- **-V**

  Use verbose logging.

- **-b** ***PROG***

  This option is to specify the program to use for backups, as well as options for it. The path to *PROG* should be absolute.

- **-w** ***SECONDS***

  Whenever a virtual directory is not used for a period of time, it is assumed inactive and is unmounted. Then, a backup is immediately started. With this option, you can specify to wait *SECONDS* before the backup starts. If this option is absent, the backup will start immediately.

- **-p** ***NUMBER***

  Backup process priority. This value is from 1-40, with 1 being highest priority and 40 being lowest. The default value is 30.

- **-c** ***NUMBER***

  This restricts the number of backup processes to *NUMBER* at any given time. The default value is 150. # manpage written on Nov. 24, 2010 by Timmy