xref: /openbsd/bin/chmod/chflags.1 (revision 647427d6)
1.\"	$OpenBSD: chflags.1,v 1.19 2019/09/02 21:18:41 deraadt Exp $
2.\"	$NetBSD: chflags.1,v 1.4 1995/08/31 22:50:22 jtc Exp $
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34.\"	@(#)chflags.1	8.4 (Berkeley) 5/2/95
35.\"
36.Dd $Mdocdate: September 2 2019 $
37.Dt CHFLAGS 1
38.Os
39.Sh NAME
40.Nm chflags
41.Nd change file flags
42.Sh SYNOPSIS
43.Nm chflags
44.Op Fl h
45.Oo
46.Fl R
47.Op Fl H | L | P
48.Oc
49.Ar flags
50.Ar
51.Sh DESCRIPTION
52The
53.Nm
54utility modifies the file flags of the listed files
55as specified by the
56.Ar flags
57operand.
58The
59.Ar flags
60of a file dictate special restrictions beyond those enforced by its
61mode/permissions.
62Only the superuser can change the user flags on block and
63character devices.
64.Pp
65You can use
66.Sy ls Fl lo
67to see the flags of existing files.
68.Pp
69The options are as follows:
70.Bl -tag -width Ds
71.It Fl H
72If the
73.Fl R
74option is also specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed.
75Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.
76.It Fl h
77Treat symbolic links like other files: modify links instead of
78following them.
79The
80.Fl h
81and
82.Fl R
83options are mutually exclusive.
84.It Fl L
85If the
86.Fl R
87option is also specified, all symbolic links are followed.
88.It Fl P
89If the
90.Fl R
91option is also specified, no symbolic links are followed.
92.It Fl R
93Recurse.
94Where
95.Ar file
96is a directory,
97change the flags of the directory and all the files and directories
98in the file hierarchy below it.
99.El
100.Pp
101Flags are a comma separated list of keywords.
102The following keywords are currently defined:
103.Pp
104.Bl -tag -width "nodump" -compact -offset indent
105.It Cm arch
106set the archived flag (superuser only)
107.It Cm nodump
108set the nodump flag (owner or superuser only)
109.It Cm sappnd
110set the system append-only flag (superuser only)
111.It Cm schg
112set the system immutable flag (superuser only)
113.It Cm uappnd
114set the user append-only flag (owner or superuser only)
115.It Cm uchg
116set the user immutable flag (owner or superuser only)
117.El
118.Pp
119The
120.Cm arch
121flag is for compatibility only,
122and currently has no effect.
123.Pp
124A file with the
125.Cm nodump
126flag set will by default only be backed up by
127.Xr dump 8
128during full backups.
129The
130.Fl h
131option of
132.Xr dump 8
133can be used to alter this.
134.Pp
135An immutable file may not be changed, moved, or deleted.
136An append-only file is immutable except that data may be appended to it.
137.Pp
138The
139superuser-settable
140.Cm sappnd
141and
142.Cm schg
143flags can be set at any time, but may only be cleared when the system is
144running at security level 0 or \-1
145(insecure or permanently insecure mode, respectively).
146For more information on setting the system security level,
147see
148.Xr securelevel 7 .
149.Pp
150Putting the letters
151.Cm no
152before a flag name causes the flag to be turned off.
153For example:
154.Pp
155.Bl -tag -width "nouchg" -compact -offset indent
156.It Cm nouchg
157the immutable bit should be cleared
158.El
159.Pp
160The
161.Fl H ,
162.Fl L ,
163and
164.Fl P
165options are ignored unless the
166.Fl R
167option is specified.
168In addition, these options override each other and the
169command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
170.Sh EXIT STATUS
171.Ex -std chflags
172.Sh SEE ALSO
173.Xr ls 1 ,
174.Xr chflags 2 ,
175.Xr stat 2 ,
176.Xr fts_open 3 ,
177.Xr securelevel 7 ,
178.Xr symlink 7 ,
179.Xr dump 8
180.Sh HISTORY
181The
182.Nm
183command first appeared in
184.Bx 4.4 .
185