ZEBRAIDX(1)

✨ zebraidx(1) — Zebra Administrative Tool ✨

okay bestie, this is zebraidx, from section 1 of the manual (the "Commands" girlies). she's the administrative tool for Zebra and she is so not playing around 💅

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

zebraidx [-c config] [-d database] [-f number] [-g group] [-l file] [-L]
         [-m mbytes] [-n] [-s] [-v level] [-t type] [-v] {command}
         [file...]

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

she lets you insert, delete, or updates records in Zebra. yes, the manpage said "updates", we're keeping the energy, no notes.

so here's the vibe check: zebraidx takes a set of options (scroll down, there's a whole buffet) and exactly one command. exactly one. mandatory. not optional. the command is the main character, periodt 👑

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🎀 COMMANDS 🎀

• update directory — updates the register with the files hanging out inside directory. and if you don't give her a directory? she reads a list of files from stdin. iykyk. (see Administration in the Zebra Manual)
• delete directory — removes the records that correspond to the files found under directory from the register.
• adelete directory — same mission as delete, removes those records for the files under directory from the register… BUT unlike delete, this one does not fail if a record doesn't exist (the one you were trying to delete). she's forgiving like that 🫶
• commit — writes the changes from your last update commands into the register. heads up though: this is only available if shadow register files are enabled (see Shadow Registers in the Zebra Manual).
• check options — runs a consistency check of the register. she may take a long time, so plan your snack break accordingly 😭 options can be one of quick, default, or full.
• clean — cleans the shadow files and "forgets" the changes. memory loss arc, but make it intentional.
• create database — creates the database. that's it, that's the whole thing ✨
• drop database — drops the database (i.e. deletes the database). abrupt but iconic.
• init — deletes an entire register (all files in the shadow + register areas). this is the nuclear option, no cap 💀

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💅 OPTIONS 💅

• -c config-file — read the configuration file config-file instead of the usual zebra.cfg. glow-up via custom config.
• -d database — the records she's located should be associated with the database name database, so they're accessible through the Z39.50 server.
• -f number — specify how many per-record log lines zebraidx should produce during indexing and during register check (that's the check command for you). if you don't pass this option, a value of 1000 is used. the default is 1000. one thousand. she's chatty.
• -g group — update the files according to the group settings for group (see Zebra Configuration File in the Zebra manual).
• -l file — write log messages to file instead of stderr. she's logging somewhere else now, we love a relocation arc.
• -L — makes zebraidx skip symbolic links. by default, zebraidx follows them. (so without -L, she's following the links, not the drama.)
• -m mbytes — use mbytes of memory before flushing keys to background storage. this setting affects performance when updating large databases. big-girl memory budgeting 🔥
• -n — disable the use of shadow registers for this operation (see Shadow Registers in the Zebra manual).
• -s — show an analysis of the indexing process. the maintenance program works in a read-only mode and doesn't change the state of the index. this option is very useful when you want to test a new profile. test drive, no consequences, obsessed 🦋
• -t type — update all files as type. currently, the types supported are text, alvis, and grs.subtype. generally, it's probably advisable to specify the record types in the zebra.cfg file instead (see Record Types in the Zebra manual), so you avoid confusion at subsequent updates. fr fr, put it in the config.
• -V — show the Zebra version. tiny little flex.
• -v level — set the log level to level. level should be one of none, debug, or all.

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🍓 FILES 🍓

• zebra.cfg

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• zebrasrv(8)

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👑 AUTHORS 👑

• Index Data

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ngl, init deletes an ENTIRE register — all files in the shadow + register areas. show that command some respect 🙈

okay and that's the whole page, bestie — you officially know zebraidx 💜

later, from zebra 2.2.11, dated 05/27/2026 — mwah, xoxo 😘✨