---
name: "dacstransform"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dacs"
version: "1.4.40-2"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dacstransform"
---

# dacstransform(1)

rule-based document transformation

## NAME

dacstransform - rule-based document transformation

## SYNOPSIS

**dacstransform** \[**dacsoptions**\[1\]\] \[**-admin**\] \[**-ct** *str*\] \[**-docs** *dir*\] \[**-f**\] \[**-F** *field\_sep*\] \[**-fd** *domain*\] \[**-fh** *hostname*\] \[**-fj** *jurname*\]\
 \[**-fn** *fedname*\] \[**-h** \| **-help**\] \[**-i** *ident*\] \[**-il** *ident*\] \[**-ilg** *ident*\] \[**-ieuid**\]\
 \[**-ieuidg**\] \[**-iuid**\] \[**-insert**\] \[**-iuidg**\] \[**-lg**\] \[**-name** *str*\] \[**-prefix** *str*\] \[**-roles** *roles\_vfs*\] \[**-rprefix** *regex*\] \[**-rsuffix** *regex*\] \[**-suffix** *str*\] \[{**-r** \| **-rules**} *rules\_uri*\]\
 \[**-var** *name=value*\] \[**-x**\] \[**--**\] {**-** \| *file*}

## DESCRIPTION

This program is part of the **DACS** suite.

**dacstransform** supplies the functionality of **dacs\_transform** from the command-line. Because the two programs are almost identical, please refer to **[dacs\_transform(8)](/dacs_transform/8.md)**\[2\] for details.

If the program is executed through the system's "#!" mechanism (**[execve(2)](/execve/2.md)**\[3\]), one or more command line arguments can be given:

```
#!/usr/local/dacs/bin/dacstransform -Dfoo=val -ct ''
Hello, world
Bye
```

Such programs always use the script file as input, therefore no expression or other file can be specified on the "#!" line.

**Note**\

The program has some limitations, including missing configuration capabilities and features, that might be expected in a production version but which have not yet been implemented.

## OPTIONS

The arguments are processed as they are examined (left-to-right) and their ordering can be significant. Command line arguments override **DACS** configuration (see below).

Please refer to **[dacscheck(1)](/dacscheck/1.md)**\[4\] for a description of the flags related to setting identities and **DACS** context. If no identity is specified, the program will use the values of the environment variables **REMOTE\_USER** and **DACS\_ROLES** if they are available and valid.

The following command line flags are recognized:

- **-ct** *str*

  Set the MIME Content-Type to *str*. The default is not to emit this header.

- **-docs** *dir*

  Set the directory containing the documents to *dir* - the *file* argument will be relative to *dir*. If *dir* is the empty string, however, this mapping will not be performed. The mapping is also disabled if the **-f** is given or if the standard input is read. This argument overrides any configuration of transform\_docs or default behaviour.

- **-f**

  Disable input file location mapping.

- **-h** **-help**

  Prints the usage blurb, which includes a listing of the program's defaults.

- **-insert** *dir*

  If a relative path is given for the value of a filename attribute with the insert, insertv, or expand directive, prefix the relative path with the string *dir*.

- **-name** *str*

  The name of the input document is *str*. This is used to associate a rule with the document; that is, it is matched against a rule's service or delegate element. By default, it is the name of the input file or the path component of the input URI. If the effective name does not begin with a slash character, one is prepended. The argument should probably be given if the standard input is being read.

- **-prefix** *str*

  A directive is introduced by *str* appearing at the beginning of an input line. The default is "\<--DACS ".

- **-suffix** *str*

  A directive is terminated by *str* appearing at the end of a directive line. The default is "--\>".

- **-r** *rules\_uri* **-rules** *rules\_uri*

  The location of the ruleset to be applied to the document, as a **DACS** VFS URI.

- **-rprefix** *regex*

  A line whose beginning matches *regex* introduces a directive. This overrides the default and any **-prefix** flag. IEEE Std 1003.2 ("POSIX.2") "extended" regular expressions are supported (**[regex(3)](/regex/3.md)**\[5\]).

- **-rsuffix** *regex*

  A directive is terminated by a string that matches *regex*, followed immediately by the end of the line. This overrides the default and any **-suffix** flag. IEEE Std 1003.2 ("POSIX.2") "extended" regular expressions are supported (**[regex(3)](/regex/3.md)**\[5\]).

- **-var** *name=value*

  Add a variable definition to the *DACS* namespace. The variable *${DACS::name}* will be assigned the string *value*. The *name* must be syntactically valid. This flag is equivalent to the **dacsoptions**\[1\] flag **-D***name=value*. This flag may be repeated. It is best to avoid the variable name *stdin*, which has a special purpose. If *name* is defined more than once its value is indeterminate.

  In a directive, an attribute value that is enclosed within backtick quotes is evaluated as an expression, which may include variable references. Variables from the *Env* namespace and, if available, the *Conf* are also instantiated. The current directive's attributes are accessible in the *Attr* namespace; these attribute values are *unevaluated* and quoted.

- **-x**

  Run as a command, not a web service. This is often required when **dacstransform** is run as a CGI program.

- **--**

  Flags end. An input source argument may follow.

After the flags, the input source can be specified. By default, or if **-** is given, the standard input is read, otherwise *file* is read.

Whitespace is not ignored at the beginning or end of an input line with respect to directive prefix and suffix matching.

### Configuration

Configuration variables can be set to change some of the program's defaults, but each one is overridden if a value is also given on the command line:

• *transform\_docs*: This is the full pathname of the root directory in which original documents are kept. By default, the program will use a subdirectory *${Conf::DACS\_HOME}*dacs\_transform/docs. (default: /usr/local/dacs/dacs\_transform/docs)

**Security**\
 Change the default with care. In the absence of an appropriate access control rule, setting the pathname to "/" or the empty string, would provide access to any file on the server that can be read by this web service.

• *transform\_acls*: This is the VFS specification for the rules. By default, the program will use *${Conf::DACS\_HOME}*dacs\_transform/acls. (default: \[transform-acls\]dacs-fs:/usr/local/dacs/dacs\_transform/acls)

• *transform\_annotation*: This is the annotation to interpolate in redacted text instead of the default.

• *transform\_prefix*: Instead of the default prefix string used to introduce a directive, the value of this variable is used. It must appear at the beginning of a line.

• *transform\_suffix*: Instead of the default string used to end a directive, the value of this variable is used.

• *transform\_rprefix*: A line whose beginning matches the specified regular expression introduces a directive.

• *transform\_rsuffix*: The end of a directive is found by matching the specified regular expression.

## DIAGNOSTICS

The program exits 0 if everything was fine, 1 if an error occurred.

## SEE ALSO

**[dacs\_transform(8)](/dacs_transform/8.md)**\[2\], **[dacs.exprs(5)](/dacs.exprs/5.md)**\[6\], **[dacs.acls(5)](/dacs.acls/5.md)**\[7\]

## AUTHOR

Distributed Systems Software (**www.dss.ca**\[8\])

## COPYING

Copyright © 2003-2018 Distributed Systems Software. See the **LICENSE**\[9\] file that accompanies the distribution for licensing information.

## NOTES

- 1\.

  dacsoptions

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/dacs.1.html#dacsoptions

- 2\.

  [dacs\_transform(8)](/dacs_transform/8.md)

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/dacs\_transform.8.html

- 3\.

  [execve(2)](/execve/2.md)

  https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=execve&apropos=0&esektion=2&emanpath=FreeBSD+10.3-RELEASE&format=html

- 4\.

  [dacscheck(1)](/dacscheck/1.md)

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/dacscheck.1.html

- 5\.

  [regex(3)](/regex/3.md)

  https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=regex&apropos=0&esektion=3&emanpath=FreeBSD+10.3-RELEASE&format=html

- 6\.

  [dacs.exprs(5)](/dacs.exprs/5.md)

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/dacs.exprs.5.html

- 7\.

  [dacs.acls(5)](/dacs.acls/5.md)

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/dacs.acls.5.html

- 8\.

  www.dss.ca

  http://www.dss.ca

- 9\.

  LICENSE

  http://dacs.dss.ca/man/../misc/LICENSE