EXTATTRCTL(8)

EXTATTRCTL(8) | System Manager's Manual | EXTATTRCTL(8)

# NAME

`extattrctl` — manage UFS1 extended attributes

# SYNOPSIS

`extattrctl` | `start` path

`extattrctl` | `stop` path

`extattrctl` | `initattr` [`-f`] [`-p` path] attrsize attrfile

`extattrctl` | `showattr` attrfile

`extattrctl` | `enable` path attrnamespace attrname attrfile

`extattrctl` | `disable` path attrnamespace attrname

# DESCRIPTION

The `extattrctl` utility is the management utility for extended attributes over the UFS1 file system. It allows the starting and stopping of extended attributes on a file system, as well as initialization of attribute backing files, and enabling and disabling of specific extended attributes on a file system.

The first argument on the command line indicates the operation to be performed. Operation must be one of the following:

`start` path
  Start extended attribute support on the file system named using path. The file system must be a UFS1 file system, and the `UFS_EXTATTR` kernel option must have been enabled. If .attribute/user and .attribute/system exist at the filesystem root, extended attributes backed by files in these directories will be automatically enabled. Note that extended attributes can be automatically started at mount time by using the `-o extattr` option to mount(8).
`stop` path
  Stop extended attribute support on the file system named using path. Extended attribute support must previously have been started.
`initattr` [`-f`] [`-p` path] attrsize attrfile
  Create and initialize a file to use as an attribute backing file. You must specify a maximum per-inode size for the attribute in bytes in attrsize, as well as the file where the attribute will be stored, using attrfile.

  The `-f` argument may be used to indicate that it is alright to overwrite an existing attribute backing file; otherwise, if the target file exists, an error will be returned.

  The `-p` path argument may be used to preallocate space for all attributes rather than relying on sparse files to conserve space. This has the advantage of guaranteeing that space will be available for attributes when they are written, preventing low disk space conditions from denying attribute service.

  This file should not exist before running `initattr`.

  When a user attempts to set a “user” or “system” extended attribute that lacks a backing file, the kernel will attempt to automatically create it, provided .attribute/user or .attribute/system exist and are writable by the requesting user.

`showattr` attrfile
  Show the attribute header values in the attribute file named by attrfile.
`enable` path attrnamespace attrname attrfile
  Enable an attribute named attrname in the namespace attrnamespace on the file system identified using path, and backed by initialized attribute file attrfile. Available namespaces are “user” and “system”. The backing file must have been initialized using `initattr` before its first use. Attributes must have been started on the file system prior to the enabling of any attributes.
`disable` path attrnamespace attrname
  Disable the attributed named attrname in namespace attrnamespace on the file system identified by path. Available namespaces are “user” and “system”. The file system must have attributes started on it, and the attribute most have been enabled using `enable`.

# EXAMPLES

`extattrctl start /`

Start extended attributes on the root file system.

`extattrctl initattr 17 /.attribute/system/md5`

Create an attribute backing file in /.attribute/system/md5, and set the maximum size of each attribute to 17 bytes, with a sparse file used for storing the attributes.

`extattrctl enable / system md5 /.attribute/system/md5`

Enable an attribute named md5 on the root file system, backed from the file /.attribute/system/md5.

`extattrctl disable / system md5`

Disable the attribute named md5 on the root file system.

`extattrctl stop /`

Stop extended attributes on the root file system.

# SEE ALSO

getextattr(1), extattr_get_file(2), extattrctl(2), extattr(9)

# HISTORY

Extended attribute support was developed as part of the TrustedBSD Project, and introduced in FreeBSD 5.0 and NetBSD 4.0. It was developed to support security extensions requiring additional labels to be associated with each file or directory. Backing file autocreation was added in NetBSD 6.0.

# AUTHORS

Robert N M Watson

# BUGS

`extattrctl` works only on UFS1 file systems. The kernel support for extended attribute backing files and this control program should be generalized for any file system that lacks native extended attribute support.

March 10, 2025 | NetBSD 11.0