GDBM_DUMP(1)

📦
version 1.26 · 3 versions
, in alpine 3.23, alpine 3.24, arch rolling, centos-stream 10, nixpkgs unstable, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

✨ GDBM_DUMP — bestie's guide to yeeting a GDBM database into a file ✨

okay so real talk, this is gdbm_dump, and it lives in the GDBM User Reference corner of your manual, and honestly? it's giving backup queen 👑

💖 NAME 💖

gdbm_dump — dump a GDBM database to a file

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

gdbm_dump [-H FMT] [--format=FMT] DB_FILE [FILE]

gdbm_dump [-Vh] [--help] [--usage] [--version]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so the gdbm_dump utility makes a dump of the gdbm(3) database file you point it at, no cap. the name for the output dump file comes from the second argument, FILE. and if you don't give it one? the output just goes to the standard error. yes, standard error, we don't make the rules 🫠

the dump it creates can be handed straight to the gdbm_load(1) utility, and that's how you re-create an exact copy of the DB_FILE. iconic behavior, truly.

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -H, --format=FMT — pick your dump format, bestie. the value binary (or 0) tells gdbm_dump to produce a binary dump, compatible with earlier gdbm versions (up to version 1.9). the value ascii (or 1) tells it to create an ASCII dump, and that one is the default. the ASCII one is the preferred one because, apart from the actual data, it also carries meta-information that lets gdbm_load(1) recreate an exact copy of the file. main character format fr fr.
  • -h, --help — prints a short usage summary. the little snack-sized version 🍓
  • --usage — prints a list of available options.
  • -V, --version — prints the program version.

🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

gdbm_load(1), gdbmtool(1), gdbm(3).

for a detailed description of gdbm_dump and other gdbm utilities, go look at the GDBM Manual, which is available in Texinfo format. to access it, run:

info gdbm

the documentation is also available online at

https://www.gnu.org/software/gdbm/manual
and hey — should any discrepancies occur between this manpage and the GDBM Manual, the latter shall be considered the authoritative source. so if they disagree, the manual wins. periodt. 👑

🙈 REPORTING BUGS 🙈

report bugs to <bug-gdbm@gnu.org>. they wanna hear about it, fr.

Copyright © 2013-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html> This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

okay that's the whole thing, bestie 💖 this page is from the GDBM manual, dated March 6, 2025, and it's GDBM_DUMP(1) — go dump something cute, slay ✨🦋💅

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