NAME

       md_doc_help_kdb-importkdb-import(1) -- Import an existing configuration into the key
       database
        - kdb import <destination> [<format>]

       Where destination is the destination where the user want's the keys to be imported into
       and format is the format the current keys or configuration is stored in. If the format
       argument is not passed, then the default format will be used as determined by the value of
       the sw/kdb/current/format key. By default, that key is set to the dump format. The format
       attribute relies on Elektra's plugin system to properly import the configuration. The user
       can view all plugins available for use by running the kdb-list(1) command. To learn about
       any plugin, the user can simply use the kdb-info(1) command.

   DESCRIPTION
       This command allows a user to import an existing configuration into the key database. The
       configuration that the user wants to import is read from stdin. The user should specify
       the format that the current configuration or keys are in, otherwise the default format
       will be used. The default format is dump but can be changed by editing the value of the
       sw/kdb/current/format key.

   CONFLICTS
       Conflicts can occur when importing a configuration to a part of the database where keys
       already exist. Conflicts when importing can be resolved using a strategy with the -s
       argument.

   STRATEGIES
       Currently the following strategies exist for importing configurations:

       • cut: Removes existing keys below destination and repalces them with the keys resulting
         from the import. This is the default strategy.

       • import: Preserves existing keys below destination only if they do not exist in the keys
         being imported. If the key does exist in the imported keys, the current version will be
         overwritten.

   OPTIONS
       • -H, --help: Show the man page.

       • -V, --version: Print version info.

       • s, --strategy <name>: Specify which strategy should be used to resolve conflicts.

       • -v, --verbose: Explain what is happening.

   EXAMPLES
       To import a configuration stored in the XML format in a file called example.xml below
       user/keyset: kdb import user/keyset xmltool < example.xml

       To import a configuration stored in the ini format in a file called example.ini below
       user/keyset replacing any previous keys stored there: cat example.ini | kdb import -s cut
       user/keyset ini

       To import a configuration stored in the ini format in a file called example.ini below
       user/keyset keeping any previous keys stored there that aren't present in the newly
       imported configuration: cat example.ini | kdb import -s import user/keyset ini

       To restore a backup (stored as sw.ecf) of a user's configuration below system/sw: cat
       sw.ecf | kdb import system/sw

   SEE ALSO
       • elektra-merge-strategies(7)