---
name: "flexbackup"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "flexbackup"
version: "1.2.1-6.5"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/flexbackup"
---

# flexbackup(1)

a flexible backup/archiving tool

## NAME

flexbackup - a flexible backup/archiving tool

## SYNOPSIS

**flexbackup** \[*OPTION*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Flexbackup is a perl script front-end to various low-level archiving utilities such as **tar**, **dump**/**restore**, **cpio**, and others.

## BACKUP OPTIONS

- **flexbackup** *-dir* \<*dir*\>

  Backup a directory tree starting from path "path" using level 0 (full).

- **flexbackup** *-set* *all*

  Backup all sets defined in **[flexbackup.conf(5)](/flexbackup.conf/5.md)** using level 0 (full).

- **flexbackup** *-set* \<*tag*\>

  Backup a set named "tag" using level 0 (full). The set name is defined in *[flexbackup.conf(5)](/flexbackup.conf/5.md)*.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-level* \<*0-9* \| *full* \| *differential* \| *incremental*\>

  Change backup level to a number "0-9", or one of the symbolic names: "full" (level 0); "differential" (level 1); "incremental" (previous backup level + 1).

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-pkgdelta* \<*rpm* \| *freebsd*\>

  Prune backup to files not part of a package or changed from distributed version.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-wday* \<*0-7*\>

  Backup only if the week day matches the input number. Sunday is 0 or 7.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-pipe*

  Write backup data to stdout rather than file/device.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-ignore-errors*

  Continue backups even if commands return error status

## RESTORE OPTIONS

- **flexbackup** *-list*

  List files in archive.

- **flexbackup** *-extract*

  Extract (restore) all files from archive into your current working directory.

- **flexbackup** *-extract* *-flist* \<*filelist*\>

  Extract (restore) the files listed in text file "filelist" into your current working directory.

- **flexbackup** *-extract* *-onefile* \<*filename*\>

  Extract (restore) the single file named "filename" into your current working directory.

- **flexbackup** *-compare*

  Compare the archive with the files in your current working directory.

- **flexbackup** *-restore*

  Interactive restore (**dump** type only for now).

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-num* \<*n*\>

  Read file number "n" from tape. If not given uses current tape position.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] \<*archive*\>

  If archiving to files rather than a device, use file named "archive" for the *list*/*extract*/*compare*/*restore* operations.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-pipe*

  Read backup data from stdin rather than file/device.

## INDEXING OPTIONS

- **flexbackup** *-toc*

  List current device's table of contents.

- **flexbackup** *-toc* *all*

  List all known table of contents.

- **flexbackup** *-toc* \<*key*\>

  List table of contents for specific database index key named "key".

- **flexbackup** *-rmindex* *all*

  Force delete all database index info.

- **flexbackup** *-rmindex* \<*key*\>

  Force delete specified database tape/dir index key named "key".

- **flexbackup** *-rmindex* \<*key*:*file*\>

  Force delete specified database tape/dir index key named "key", file number "file".

## MISCELLANEOUS OPTIONS

- **flexbackup** *-newtape*

  Erase and create new index key (but don't do any backups).

- **flexbackup** *-rmfile* *all*

  If archiving to files rather than device, remove all files and index information.

- **flexbackup** *-rmfile* \<*file*\>

  If archiving to files rather than device, remove the file named "file" and its index information.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-c* \<*file.conf*\>

  Use file named "file.conf" for configuration information instead of **/etc/flexbackup.conf**(5).

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-type* \<*type*\>

  Override **$type** setting from config file with "type".

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-compress* \<*type*\>

  Override **$compress** setting from config file with "type".

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-device* \<*device*\>

  Override **$device** setting from config file with "device".

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-d* \<*'setting=value'*\>

  Override **$setting** setting from config file with "value".

- **flexbackup** *-dir* \<*dir*\> *-erase*

  Force a rewind/erase before backup of directory named "dir".

- **flexbackup** *-dir* \<*dir*\> *-norewind*

  Do not rewind tape after a single backup of directory named "dir".

- **flexbackup** *-set* \<*tag*\> *-noreten*

  Do not retension tape for level 0 (full) backups of set named "tag".

- **flexbackup** *-set* \<*tag*\> *-noerase*

  Do not rewind/erase tape for level 0 (full) backups of set named "tag".

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-reten*

  Force a retension of tape before reading.

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-defaults*

  Do not use any default values for config variables.

- **flexbackup** *-version*

  Display version and exit.

## TESTING/DEBUGGING OPTIONS

- **flexbackup** *-test-tape-drive*

  Tries writing/reading files to make sure you have tape driver and parameters set up correctly in [**flexbackup.conf**(5)](/flexbackup.conf/5.md).

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-n*

  Don't run actual dump or mt commands, just print the steps that would be taken (dry run).

- **flexbackup** \[...\] *-type* *filelist*

  Run a special backup type that just saves a list of files that would have been archived.

## FILES

/etc/flexbackup.conf - configuration settings

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to (flexbackup-help@lists.sourceforge.net)

## AUTHOR

Written by Edwin Huffstutler (edwinh@computer.org)

## SEE ALSO

[**flexbackup.conf**(5)](/flexbackup.conf/5.md) [**afio**(1)](/afio/1.md) [**mt**(1)](/mt/1.md) [**tar**(1)](/tar/1.md) [**star**(1)](/star/1.md) [**cpio**(1)](/cpio/1.md) **dump**(1) **restore**(1) [**buffer**(1)](/buffer/1.md) [**mbuffer**(1)](/mbuffer/1.md)