DAVE(1p)

📦
version 0.50 · 3 versions
, in debian trixie, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

DAVE(1p) — dave: DAV Explorer 💅

okay so bestie, this is the DAVE(1p) page from the User Contributed Perl Documentation, all about the dave command. She's a powerful command-line program for WebDAV, and she's lowkey a legend. Let's get into the lore. 🦋

✨ NAME ✨

dave — DAV Explorer. That's it, that's the name, and it's giving main character energy. 👑

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

dave [OPTIONS] URL

e.g.

$ dave -u pcollins -p mypass www.host.org/dav_dir/
...
dave> get file.txt

Use dave -h to get help on options. It's your lil' SOS button. 🆘

Use perldoc dave for the whole manpage. Full lore unlocked. 📖

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

dave is a powerful command-line program for interacting with WebDAV-enabled webservers. With dave you can:

  • get and put files
  • make directories on a remote webserver
  • remove files and directories from a remote webserver
  • edit a file on the webserver with a single command
  • recursively get a remote directory
  • recursively put a local directory
  • lock and unlock remote files and directories
  • securely transfer over https
  • authenticate using the safer Digest authentication

No cap, that's a whole lot of slay. 💅

Dave is a part of the PerlDAV project (http://www.webdav.org/perldav/) and is built on top of the HTTP::DAV perl API.

If you would like to script webdav interactions in Perl checkout the HTTP::DAV API as its commands are the basis for dave's.

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -debug N — Sets the debug level to N. 0=none. 3=noisy. Turn it up to 3 when you want the program to spill the tea. 🫖
  • -h — Prints basic help and options. Your quick cheat sheet, bestie. ✨
  • -man — Prints the full manual (equivalent to perldoc dave). You will need to use a pager like more or less. e.g.
dave -man |less
  • -p <password> — Sets the password to be used for the URL. You must also supply a user. See -u. 🔐
  • -u <username> — Sets the username to be used for the URL. You must also supply a pass. See -p. 🪪
  • -tmpdir /some/path — Create temporary files in /some/path instead of the default /tmp. 📁

💅 COMMANDS 💅

okay so THIS is the part where it gets fun, bestie. every single thing you can type at the dave> prompt lives right here. let's gooo ✨

cd URL

changes directories. it's cd but for the server. the way that just works 🦋

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> cd dir1
dave> cd ../dir2

cat URL

shows the contents of a remote file. peek at it, no downloading required 💖

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> cat index.html
Note: you cannot cat a directory (collection). nope. not happening. 🙈

cp, copy SOURCE_URL DEST_URL

copies one remote resource to another. server-side glow-up, no download in between ✨

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/

Create a copy of dir1/ as dav2/:

dave> cp dir1 dav2

Create a copy of dir1/file.txt as dav2/file.txt:

dave> cd dir1
dave> copy file.txt ../dav2

Create a copy of file.txt as ../dav2/new_file.txt:

dave> copy file.txt dav2/new_file.txt

Aliases: cp

rmdir URL, rm URL, delete URL

deletes a remote resource. gone. periodt 💀

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> delete index.html
dave> rmdir ./dir1
dave> delete /dav_dir/dir2/
dave> delete /dav_dir/*.html
This command recursively deletes directories. BE CAREFUL :) 😭

This command supported wildcards (globbing). See get.

Aliases: rm, rmdir

edit URL

edits the contents of a remote file. opens your editor, you do your little edits, it handles the rest 💅

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> edit index.html

Edit is equivalent to the following sequence of commands:

LOCK index.html (if allowed)
GET index.html /tmp/dave.perldav.421341234124
sh $EDITOR /tmp/dave.perldav.421341234124
PUT index.html (if modified)
UNLOCK index.html (if locked)

Where $EDITOR is determined from the environment variables DAV_EDITOR or EDITOR.

If DAV_EDITOR is set, it will use that, otherwise it will use EDITOR. If neither variables are set, then vi will be used.

Notes:

  • The lock only lasts for 10 hours. clock's ticking bestie ⏰
  • You cannot edit a directory (collection).
  • The temporary save directory is editable by editing dave and changing TMP_DIR

get URL [FILE]

downloads the file or directory at URL 🌈

If FILE is not specified it will be saved to your current working directory using the same name as the remote name.

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/

Recursively get remote my_dir/ to .:

dave> get my_dir/

Recursively get remote my_dir/ to /tmp/my_dir/:

dave> get my_dir /tmp

Get remote my_dir/index.html to /tmp/index.html:

dave> get /dav_dir/my_dir/index.html /tmp

Get remote index.html to /tmp/index1.html:

dave> get index.html /tmp/index1.html

Use globs and save to /tmp:

dave> get index* /tmp                   # Gets index*.html, index*.txt, etc.
dave> get index*.html /tmp/index1.html  # Gets index*.html
dave> get index[12].htm?                # Gets file1 and file2, .htm and .html

? [CMD], h [CMD], help [CMD]

prints list of commands or help for CMD. your lil cheat sheet 🎀

dave> ?

dave> help get

Aliases: ?, h

lcd [DIR]

changes local directory. yes, LOCAL. this one's on your actual machine 🫶

dave> lcd /tmp

lls [DIR]

lists local directory contents. again: LOCAL, your machine, not the server 🍓

dave> lcd /tmp
dave> lls
dave> lls /home

This command simply execs the local ls command and is equivalent to !ls

lpwd

prints the current working directory, locally.

This command simply execs the local ls command and is equivalent to !pwd

dir [URL], ls [URL]

lists remote directory contents or file props. the iconic one 👑

dave> ls
Listing of http://host.org/dav_dir/
                ./          Aug 29 02:26  <dir>
   mtx_0.04.tar.gz   52640  Aug 11 11:45
        index.html    4580  Aug 11 11:45
    index0.04.html    4936  Nov 11  2000
            mydir/          Aug 19 21:14  <dir>,<locked>

dave> ls index.html
URL: http://www.webdav.org/perldav/index.html
Content-type: text/html
Creation date: Sun Aug 12 21:58:02 2001
Last modified:
Size: 4580 bytes
Locks supported: write/exclusive write/shared
Locks:

Use propfind to get a similar printout of a collection (directory).

Aliases: dir

lock [URL [TIMEOUT] [DEPTH]]

locks a resource. nobody else gets to touch it while you're holding it 🔒

Without a URL you will lock the current remote collection.

TIMEOUT can be any of the following formats:

30s          30 seconds from now
10m          ten minutes from now
1h           one hour from now
1d           tomorrow
3M           in three months
10y          in ten years time
2000-02-31 00:40:33
2000-02-31

Default is an infinite timeout.

See perldoc "HTTP::DAV::Resource" for more information about timeouts.

DEPTH can be either 0 or infinity (default).

Seeting the lock Scope and Type is not currently implemented. Let me know if you need it as it shouldn't be too much effort.

mkdir URL, mkcol URL

make a remote collection (directory). building your lil home on the server 🏠

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> mkcol new_dir
dave> mkdir /dav_dir/new_dir

Aliases: mkdir

mv, move SOURCE_URL DEST_URL

moves a remote resource to another. relocation era 💫

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/

Move dir1/ to dav2/:

dave> move dir1 dav2

Move file dir2/file.txt to ../file.txt:

dave> cd dir2
dave> move file.txt ..

Move file.txt to dav2/new_file.txt:

dave> move file.txt dav2/new_file.txt

Aliases: mv

open URL

connects to the WebDAV-enabled server at URL 🌐

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/

Note that if authorization details are required you will be prompted for them.

https and Digest authorization are not currently supported. Please let me know if you need it. 😭

options [URL]

show the HTTP methods allowed for a URL.

dave> options index.html
OPTIONS, GET, HEAD, POST, DELETE, TRACE, PROPFIND,
PROPPATCH, COPY, MOVE, LOCK, UNLOCK

Note that Microsoft's IIS does not support LOCK on collections (directories). Nor does it support PROPPATCH.

propfind [URL]

show the properties of a resource. the receipts, basically 🧚

dave> propfind test
URL: http://host.org/dav_dir/test/
Content-type: httpd/unix-directory
Creation date: Wed Aug 29 00:36:42 2001
Last modified:
Size:  bytes
Locks supported: write/exclusive write/shared
Locks:

Using ls will get you the same printout if you ls a file. But ls'ing a collection will show you the collections contents.

put FILE [URL]

uploads a local file or directory to URL or the currently opened location. send it up there 🚀

If URL is an existing collection then the dir/file will be copied INTO that collection.

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/

Recursively put local my_dir/ to host.org/dav_dir/my_dir/:

dave> put my_dir/

Put local index.html to host.org/dav_dir/index1.html:

dave> put /tmp/index.html index1.html

Put * to remote directory:

dave> put *

Put index[12].htm? to remote directory /dav_dir (/dav_dir must exist):

dave> put index[12].htm? /dav_dir

Put index[1234].htm? to remote directory /dav_dir (/dav_dir must exist):

dave> put index[1-4].htm? /dav_dir

Glob types supported are, * (matches any characters), ? (matches any one character), [...] (matches any characters in the set ...).

pwd

prints the currently opened URL (working directory). where am i bestie 📍

dave> open host.org/dav_dir/
dave> cd new_dir/
dave> pwd
http://host.org/dav_dir/new_dir/

q, bye, quit

exits dave. it's giving goodbye 👋

Note that dave does not unlock any locks created during your session. lowkey important. remember your locks exist ✨

Aliases: q, quit

set URL PROPERTY VALUE [NAMESPACE]

sets a custom property on a resource. customise ur little heart out 💖

dave> set file.txt author "Patrick Collins"
dave> set file.txt author "Patrick Collins" "mynamespace"

The NAMESPACE by default is "DAV:".

!, sh

executes a local command (alias !). escape hatch to your own shell 🐚

dave> sh cat localfile
dave> !gzip localfile.gz
dave> ! "cat localfile | less"

Aliases: !

showlocks

show my locks on a resource.

Shows any locked resources that you've locked in this session.

See "propfind" if you'd like to see anyone's locks held against a particular resource.

steal [URL]

remove ANY locks on a resource. chaotic but sometimes necessary 💀

Useful if you accidentally forgot to unlock a resource from a previous session or if you think that somebody has forgotten to unlock a resource.

unlock [URL]

unlocks a resource. releasing ur grip 🔓

Note that unlock will only unlock locks that you have created. Use steal if you want to forcefully unlock somebody else's lock.

unset URL PROPERTY [NAMESPACE]

unsets a property from a resource. undo the customisation ✨

dave> unset file.txt author
dave> unset file.txt author "mynamespace"

The NAMESPACE by default is "DAV:".

🌸 GETTING HELP 🌸

The perldav mailing list — There is a mailing list for PerlDAV and dave for use by Developers and Users. Please see http://mailman.webdav.org/mailman/listinfo/perldav

🎀 INSTALLATION 🎀

dave is installed to /usr/local/bin by default when you install the PerlDAV library. See http://www.webdav.org/perldav/ for installation details of PerlDAV.

🦋 WHAT PLATFORMS WILL IT WORK ON? 🦋

dave is pure perl so only needs Perl5.003 (or later) and the "PerlDAV" library to be installed.

I have not ported dave to Windows but would like somebody to have a shot at it.

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

The "PerlDAV" perl API at http://www.webdav.org/perldav/ or by typing perldoc HTTP::DAV on your command line.

This module is Copyright (C) 2001 by

Patrick Collins
G03 Gloucester Place, Kensington
Sydney, Australia

Email: pcollins@cpan.org
Phone: +61 2 9663 4916

All rights reserved.

You may distribute this module under the terms of either the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License, as specified in the Perl README file.

⭐ MAINTAINER ⭐

Cosimo Streppone, <cosimo@cpan.org>

and that's the whole vibe bestie, every last detail preserved 💖 this page is from perl v5.40.0 and it's dated 2024-10-28, filed under DAVE(1p). go forth and WebDAV slay 🌈✨🫶

📦 where this page comes from