---
name: "utrans-rc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "utrans-rc"
version: "0.7-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/utrans-rc"
---

# utrans-rc(1)

convert systemd units using utrans(1) and then save or install them

## NAME

utrans-rc - convert systemd units using [utrans(1)](/utrans/1.md) and then save or install them

## SYNOPSIS

utrans-rc \[-h\] \[-b \<BACKEND\>..\] \[-n \| -o \<OUTPUT\_DIR\>\] \[-u \| \<SOURCE\_DIR\>..\]

## OPTIONS

The following commandline options are supported:-

- **-b \<BACKEND\>**

  specify backend used by [utrans(1)](/utrans/1.md). If unset, automatically detect the appropriate backends to use

- **-h**

  show usage

- **-o \<OUTPUT\_DIR\>**

  save generated files to subdirectories of \<OUTPUT\_DIR\>

- **-n**

  no action; dry run to show what would be done

- **-u**

  only check for new/modified/deleted units and update; ignored if \<SOURCE\_DIR\> or \<OUTPUT\_DIR\> specified

## DESCRIPTION

utrans-rc scans the source directory/directories for [systemd.service(5)](/systemd.service/5.md) and [systemd.timer(5)](/systemd.timer/5.md) units. If no source directory is specified, *\[/usr\]/lib/systemd/system* is scanned.

Each unit is converted using [utrans(1)](/utrans/1.md).

If \<OUTPUT\_DIR\> is specified, generated files are saved there. Otherwise, the files are considered for installation beneath */etc* using [sudo(8)](/sudo/8.md) and [ucf(1)](/ucf/1.md) to preserve user modifications. However, installation of the whole unit is skipped if

- •

  the unit's parent package already includes functionality in the installation directory

- •

  it would overwrite any files in a package known to [dpkg(1)](/dpkg/1.md)

utrans-rc also checks previously generated and installed files for changes in their source units. If any modified units are found they are re-translated. If the source units have been removed, the generated files are disabled and removed (if unmodified).

## SEE ALSO

[utrans(1)](/utrans/1.md), [ucf(1)](/ucf/1.md)

## COPYRIGHT

BSD-2-Clause License \<https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause\>

Copyright (c) 2023-2024, Mark Hindley

## AUTHORS

Mark Hindley \<mark@hindley.org.uk\>