---
name: "makedbm"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ypserv"
version: "4.2-2+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/makedbm"
---

# makedbm(8)

create or dump a ypserv database file

## NAME

makedbm - create or dump a ypserv database file

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/lib/yp/makedbm** \[-a \| -r\] \[-b\] \[-c\] \[-s\] \[-l\] \[-i *YP\_INPUT\_NAME*\] \[-o *YP\_OUTPUT\_NAME*\] \[-m *YP\_MASTER\_NAME*\] *inputfile* *dbname*

**/usr/lib/yp/makedbm** -u *dbname*

**/usr/lib/yp/makedbm** -c

**/usr/lib/yp/makedbm** --version

## DESCRIPTION

**makedbm** takes the inputfile and converts it to a ypserv database file. In the moment, GDBM is used as database. Each line of the input file is converted to a single record. All characters up to the first TAB or SPACE are the key, and the rest of the line is the data. **makedbm** does not treat \`#' as a special character.

## OPTIONS

- **-a**

  Special support for mail aliases. We couldn't use sendmail for it, since sendmail uses db, but ypserv gdbm as database format.

- **-b**

  Insert the **YP\_INTERDOMAIN** into the output. This key causes [**ypserv**(8)](/ypserv/8.md) to use **DNS** for host name and address lookups for hosts not found in the maps.

- **-c**

  send a **YPPROC\_CLEAR** to the local [**ypserv**(8)](/ypserv/8.md). This causes ypserv to invalidate all cached entries.

- **-l**

  Convert the keys of the given map to lower case.

**-i** *YP\_INPUT\_NAME*

Create a special entry with the key **YP\_INPUT\_NAME**.

**-m** *YP\_MASTER\_NAME*

Create a special entry with the key **YP\_MASTER\_NAME**. If no master host name is specified, **YP\_MASTER\_NAME** will be set to the local host name.

**-o** *YP\_OUTPUT\_NAME*

Create a special entry with the key **YP\_OUTPUT\_NAME**.

- **-r**

  Handle \`#' as comment sign and remove the comment.

- **-s**

  Secure map. Accept connections from secure **NIS** networks only (reserved ports).

**-u** *dbname*

Dump a ypserv database file. Prints out the file in text format, one entry per line, with a single space separating keys from values.

- **--no-limit-check**

  Don't check for NIS key and data limit.

## SEE ALSO

[**ypserv**(8)](/ypserv/8.md)

## AUTHOR

**makedbm** was written by Thorsten Kukuk \<kukuk@linux-nis.org\>.