fdiml - Linux

Overview

fdiml is a command-line tool for generating index files from an input file list. It is primarily used in conjunction with mlocate, a file finder utility, to create and update index databases for faster file searches.

Syntax

fdiml [options] [input_files]

Options/Flags

  • -a (append): Append to the existing index file instead of overwriting it.
  • -c (create): Create a new index file if it does not exist.
  • -f (force): Overwrite the existing index file if it already exists.
  • -i (ignore): Ignore files that already exist in the index file.
  • -l (list): List the files that would be added/updated in the index file without making any changes.
  • -m (metadata): Include file metadata (e.g., size, modification time) in the index file.
  • -p (path): Specify a custom path for the index file. Default: /var/lib/mlocate/mlocate.db
  • -t (test): Test the index file. Verify its integrity without making any changes.
  • -v (verbose): Enable verbose output.

Examples

Create an index file:

fdiml -c /home/user

Append to an existing index file:

fdiml -a /path/to/input_file_list

Ignore files already in the index file:

fdiml -i /path/to/input_file_list

List files that would be added/updated:

fdiml -l /path/to/input_file_list

Common Issues

  • Index file not updated: Ensure that the input file list contains valid paths and that the mlocate database is up-to-date.
  • File not found in search results: Verify that the file exists and is indexed. Also, check the permissions of the index file /var/lib/mlocate/mlocate.db.

Integration

fdiml works in conjunction with mlocate to build and maintain an index database. Once the index file is generated, mlocate can be used to search for files based on their names.

Related Commands

  • mlocate: File finder utility that uses index files generated by fdiml.
  • find: Another command-line tool for searching for files and directories.