ADMIN(1P)

🌸 ADMIN(1P) — POSIX Programmer's Manual 🌸

okay bestie, this is ADMIN(1P) from the POSIX Programmer's Manual, and we're doing this whole thing together, no skipping, no skimming, we go line by line 💅

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✨ PROLOG ✨

so like, real talk first: this manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual. the Linux implementation of this interface may differ — so if you're on Linux, go consult the corresponding Linux manual page for the details on Linux behavior. or honestly? the interface might not even be implemented on Linux at all. 😭 vibe check accordingly.

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👑 NAME 👑

admin — create and administer SCCS files (DEVELOPMENT)

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

admin -i[name] [-n] [-a login] [-d flag] [-e login] [-f flag]
    [-m mrlist] [-r rel] [-t[name] [-y[comment]] newfile

admin -n [-a login] [-d flag] [-e login] [-f flag] [-m mrlist]
    [-t[name]] [-y[comment]] newfile...

admin [-a login] [-d flag] [-m mrlist] [-r rel] [-t[name]] file...

admin -h file...

admin -z file...

five whole forms, she's versatile, she contains multitudes 💖

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🌈 DESCRIPTION 🌈

okay so here's the tea. the admin utility shall create new SCCS files or change parameters of existing ones. that's the whole job, and she does it flawlessly.

if a named file does not exist, it shall be created, and its parameters shall be initialized according to the specified options. parameters that you didn't initialize with an option? they get assigned a default value. cute, automatic, slay.

if a named file does exist, then the parameters corresponding to the options you specified shall be changed, and every other parameter shall be left as is. she does not touch what she wasn't asked to touch. respectful queen. 👑

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all SCCS filenames supplied by the application shall be of the form s.filename. periodt.

new SCCS files shall be given read-only permission mode. and heads up — write permission in the parent directory is required to create a file. so if the parent dir isn't giving you write access, it's not happening, no cap.

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okay this next part is the part that lowkey makes her iconic. all writing done by admin shall be to a temporary x-file, named x.filename (see get). that x-file gets created with:

• read-only mode, if admin is creating a new SCCS file, or
• the same mode as that of the SCCS file, if the file already exists.

and then, after successful execution of admin, the SCCS file shall be removed (if it exists), and the x-file shall be renamed with the name of the SCCS file.

🫶 this whole dance exists so that changes are made to the SCCS file only if no errors occur. transactional behavior before it was cool, honestly.

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and finally, the admin utility shall also use a transient lock file, named z.filename, which is used to prevent simultaneous updates to the SCCS file. see get. 🎀

she locks her stuff. she protects her stuff. main character energy fr fr 💜

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✨ OPTIONS ✨

Okay bestie, listen up 💅 the admin utility is gonna follow the Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1‑2017, Section 12.2, Utility Syntax Guidelines — except that -i, -t, and -y have optional option-arguments. And here's the little detail that trips people up: those optional option-arguments shall not be presented as separate arguments, so like, don't split them up, they stay glued to the flag okay?? 🫶

The following options are supported:

• -n — Create a new SCCS file ✨. When -n is used without -i, the SCCS file shall be created with control information but without any file data.
• -i[name] — Specify the name of a file from which the text for a new SCCS file shall be taken 📄. That text constitutes the first delta of the file (peep the -r option for the delta numbering scheme, iykyk). If -i is used but the name option-argument is omitted, the text shall be obtained by reading the standard input. If this option is omitted entirely, the SCCS file shall be created with control information but without any file data. Oh and — the -i option implies the -n option, no cap 🔥.
• -r SID — Specify the SID of the initial delta to be inserted. This SID shall be a trunk SID; that is, the branch and sequence numbers shall be zero or missing. The level number is optional, and defaults to 1.
• -t[name] — Specify the name of a file from which descriptive text for the SCCS file shall be taken 📝. In the case of existing SCCS files (so when neither -i nor -n is specified):
  • A -t option without a name option-argument shall cause the removal of descriptive text (if any) currently in the SCCS file.
  • A -t option with a name option-argument shall cause the text (if any) in the named file to replace the descriptive text (if any) currently in the SCCS file.
• -f flag — Specify a flag, and, possibly, a value for the flag, to be placed in the SCCS file 🎀. Several -f options may be supplied on a single admin command line. Implementations shall recognize the following flags and associated values:
  • b — Allow use of the -b option on a get command to create branch deltas 🌿.
  • cceil — Specify the highest release (that is, ceiling), a number less than or equal to 9999, which may be retrieved by a get command for editing. The default value for an unspecified c flag shall be 9999.
  • ffloor — Specify the lowest release (that is, floor), a number greater than 0 but less than 9999, which may be retrieved by a get command for editing. The default value for an unspecified f flag shall be 1.
  • dSID — Specify the default delta number (SID) to be used by a get command.
  • istr — Treat the ``No ID keywords'' message issued by get or delta as a fatal error 💀. In the absence of this flag, the message is only a warning. The message is issued if no SCCS identification keywords (see get) are found in the text retrieved or stored in the SCCS file. If a value is supplied, the application shall ensure that the keywords exactly match the given string; however, the string shall contain a keyword, and no embedded <newline> characters.
  • j — Allow concurrent get commands for editing on the same SID of an SCCS file 🌀. This allows multiple concurrent updates to the same version of the SCCS file.
  • llist — Specify a list of releases to which deltas can no longer be made (that is, get -e against one of these locked releases fails 🔒). Conforming applications shall use the following syntax to specify a list. Implementations may accept additional forms as an extension:

<list> ::= a | <range-list>
<range-list> ::= <range> | <range-list>, <range>
<range> ::= <SID>

The character a in the list shall be equivalent to specifying all releases for the named SCCS file. The non-terminal <SID> in range shall be the delta number of an existing delta associated with the SCCS file.

• n — Cause delta to create a null delta in each of those releases (if any) being skipped when a delta is made in a new release (for example, in making delta 5.1 after delta 2.7, releases 3 and 4 are skipped) 🙈. These null deltas shall serve as anchor points so that branch deltas may later be created from them. The absence of this flag shall cause skipped releases to be nonexistent in the SCCS file, preventing branch deltas from being created from them in the future. During the initial creation of an SCCS file, the n flag may be ignored; that is, if the -r option is used to set the release number of the initial SID to a value greater than 1, null deltas need not be created for the ``skipped'' releases.
• qtext — Substitute user-definable text for all occurrences of the %Q% keyword in the SCCS file text retrieved by get 💬.
• mmod — Specify the module name of the SCCS file substituted for all occurrences of the %M% keyword in the SCCS file text retrieved by get. If the m flag is not specified, the value assigned shall be the name of the SCCS file with the leading '.' removed.
• ttype — Specify the type of module in the SCCS file substituted for all occurrences of the %Y% keyword in the SCCS file text retrieved by get 🌈.
• vpgm — Cause delta to prompt for modification request (MR) numbers as the reason for creating a delta. The optional value specifies the name of an MR number validation program. (If this flag is set when creating an SCCS file, the application shall ensure that the m option is also used even if its value is null.) 👑

• -d flag — Remove (delete) the specified flag from an SCCS file 🗑️. Several -d options may be supplied on a single admin command. See the -f option for allowable flag names. (The llist flag gives a list of releases to be unlocked. See the -f option for further description of the l flag and the syntax of a list.)
• -a login — Specify a login name, or numerical group ID, to be added to the list of users who may make deltas (changes) to the SCCS file 🫶. A group ID shall be equivalent to specifying all login names common to that group ID. Several -a options may be used on a single admin command line. As many logins, or numerical group IDs, as desired may be on the list simultaneously. If the list of users is empty, then anyone may add deltas 😳. If login or group ID is preceded by a '!', the users so specified shall be denied permission to make deltas.
• -e login — Specify a login name, or numerical group ID, to be erased from the list of users allowed to make deltas (changes) to the SCCS file ✂️. Specifying a group ID is equivalent to specifying all login names common to that group ID. Several -e options may be used on a single admin command line.
• -y[comment] — Insert the comment text into the SCCS file as a comment for the initial delta in a manner identical to that of delta 📝. In the POSIX locale, omission of the -y option shall result in a default comment line being inserted in the form:

"date and time created %s %s by %s", <date>, <time>, <login>

where <date> is expressed in the format of the date utility's %y/%m/%d conversion specification, <time> in the format of the date utility's %T conversion specification format, and <login> is the login name of the user creating the file.

• -m mrlist — Insert the list of modification request (MR) numbers into the SCCS file as the reason for creating the initial delta in a manner identical to delta 🔢. The application shall ensure that the v flag is set and the MR numbers are validated if the v flag has a value (the name of an MR number validation program). A diagnostic message shall be written if the v flag is not set or MR validation fails.
• -h — Check the structure of the SCCS file and compare the newly computed checksum with the checksum that is stored in the SCCS file 🕵️. If the newly computed checksum does not match the checksum in the SCCS file, a diagnostic message shall be written.
• -z — Recompute the SCCS file checksum and store it in the first line of the SCCS file (see the -h option above) ♻️.

Heads up bestie!! Note that use of this option on a truly corrupted file may prevent future detection of the corruption 😭. Like, it'll paper over the crime scene. Be careful.

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🌸 OPERANDS 🌸

The following operands shall be supported:

• file — A pathname of an existing SCCS file or a directory 📁. If file is a directory, the admin utility shall behave as though each file in the directory were specified as a named file, except that non-SCCS files (last component of the pathname does not begin with s.) and unreadable files shall be silently ignored 🤫.
• newfile — A pathname of an SCCS file to be created ✨.

If exactly one file or newfile operand appears, and it is '-', the standard input shall be read; each line of the standard input shall be taken to be the name of an SCCS file to be processed 📥. Non-SCCS files and unreadable files shall be silently ignored.

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💜 STDIN 💜

The standard input shall be a text file used only if -i is specified without an option-argument or if a file or newfile operand is specified as '-' 🌊.

⚠️ If the first character of any standard input line is <SOH> in the POSIX locale, the results are unspecified 💀. Like, undefined behaviour, we don't make the rules, we just warn you about them.

okay bestie</p>, we're in the home stretch — this is the part where the page stops telling you what to do and starts telling you what the system is gonna do back. 💅

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📂 INPUT FILES

So the SCCS files that already exist? They're text files, but of an unspecified format. That's the standard's way of saying "they're text, don't @ me about the layout." 🙈

The application has to make sure the file named by the -i option's option-argument is a text file. And here's the cursed bit: if the first character of any line in that file is <SOH> in the POSIX locale, the results are unspecified. unspecified!! Not "an error," not "it warns you" — just vibes-based, do-not-trust, who-knows. 😭

And if that file has more than 99999 lines? The number of lines recorded in the header for this file shall be 99999 for this delta. Capped. Periodt. No matter how many lines you actually fed it. 👑

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🌍 ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

These are the environment variables that shall affect how admin runs:

• LANG — gives you a default value for the internationalization variables that are unset or null. (Peep the Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2017, Section 8.2, Internationalization Variables for the precedence order used to figure out the values of locale categories. iykyk 🫶)
• LC_ALL — if it's set to a non-empty string value, it overrides the values of all the other internationalization variables. absolute main character energy, it just overrules everyone. 👑
• LC_CTYPE — decides the locale for interpreting sequences of bytes of text data as characters. think single-byte vs multi-byte characters in arguments and input files. 🦋
• LC_MESSAGES — decides the locale that affects the format and contents of diagnostic messages written to standard error, and the contents of the default -y comment. yes, your comment gets localized too. 💅
• NLSPATH — decides where the message catalogs live for the processing of LC_MESSAGES. 🎀

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⚡ ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS

Default.

That's it. That's the whole section. slay. ✨

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📤 STDOUT

Not used.

Nothing comes out of here. Not one crumb. 🙈

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📥 STDERR

Standard error shall be used only for diagnostic messages. It's the venting channel, bestie — nothing else gets to live there. 😭

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💾 OUTPUT FILES

Any SCCS files that get created shall be text files of an unspecified format. (same energy as before: text, but don't ask about the layout 🎀)

And here's a lil behind-the-scenes thing: during processing of a file, a locking z-file — as described in get — may be created and deleted. It comes, it does its job, it dips. iconic behavior. ✨

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🧩 EXTENDED DESCRIPTION

None. 🍓

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🚦 EXIT STATUS

Here's what you get back:

1. 0 — Successful completion. 🎉
2. >0 — An error occurred. 💀

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🫠 CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS

Default.

And then — plot twist — the page literally says this:

The following sections are informative.

meaning: everything after this point is context and commentary, not requirements. we're in the ✨bonus content✨ era now. 🦋

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🛠️ APPLICATION USAGE

The page recommends (so, strong suggestion, bestie, take the note 💜):

• directories containing SCCS files should be writable by the owner only
• the SCCS files themselves should be read-only
• the mode of those directories should let only the owner modify the SCCS files inside them
• the mode of the SCCS files themselves prevents any modification at all except by SCCS commands

basically: lock your room, keep the diaries read-only, and only the SCCS commands have the key. 🔐

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💫 EXAMPLES

None. (crying, we wanted a demo 😭)

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🧠 RATIONALE

None.

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🔮 FUTURE DIRECTIONS

None.

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👀 SEE ALSO

• delta
• get
• prs
• what
• The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2017, Chapter 8, Environment Variables, Section 12.2, Utility Syntax Guidelines

go read get btw, it's where that whole locking z-file thing is explained. 🫶

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⚖️ COPYRIGHT

Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1-2017, Standard for Information Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, 2018 Edition, Copyright (C) 2018 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group.

And the serious part, no jokes: in the event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard is the referee document. The original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html.

Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page are most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the source files to man page format. To report such errors, see https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html. 🐛

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and that's the whole page, bestie!! this one came from IEEE/The Open Group, dated 2017, and its name in the wild is ADMIN(1P). 💖✨🎀 you made it to the end, so proud of you — go lock down those SCCS directories fr fr. 🦋💅👑