NAME

       updatedb - update a file name database

SYNOPSIS

       updatedb [options]

DESCRIPTION

       This  manual  page  documents  the GNU version of updatedb, which updates file name databases used by GNU
       locate.  The file name databases contain lists of files that were in particular directory trees when  the
       databases  were  last  updated.   The  file  name  of  the default database is determined when locate and
       updatedb are configured and installed.  The frequency with  which  the  databases  are  updated  and  the
       directories for which they contain entries depend on how often updatedb is run, and with which arguments.

       In  networked  environments,  it  often  makes  sense to build a database at the root of each filesystem,
       containing the entries for that filesystem.  updatedb is then run for each filesystem on  the  fileserver
       where  that  filesystem  is  on  a  local disk, to prevent thrashing the network.  Users can select which
       databases locate searches using an environment variable or command line option; see locate(1).  Databases
       cannot be concatenated together.

       The  @samp{LOCATGE02}  database  format  was  introduced  in  GNU findutils version 4.0 in order to allow
       machines with different byte orderings to share the databases.  GNU locate can  read  both  the  old  and
       @samp{LOCATE02}  database  formats,  though  support  for the old pre-4.0 database format will be removed
       shortly.

OPTIONS

       --findoptions='-option1 -option2...'
              Global options to pass on to find.  The environment variable FINDOPTIONS  also  sets  this  value.
              Default is none.

       --localpaths='path1 path2...'
              Non-network directories to put in the database.  Default is /.

       --netpaths='path1 path2...'
              Network  (NFS,  AFS,  RFS,  etc.)  directories  to  put in the database.  The environment variable
              NETPATHS also sets this value.  Default is none.

       --prunepaths='path1 path2...'
              Directories to not put in the database, which would otherwise be.   Remove  any  trailing  slashes
              from  the  path  names,  otherwise updatedb won´t recognise the paths you want to omit (because it
              uses them as regular expression patterns).  The environment variable  PRUNEPATHS  also  sets  this
              value.  Default is /tmp /usr/tmp /var/tmp /afs.

       --prunefs='path...'
              File  systems  to  not  put in the database, which would otherwise be.  Note that files are pruned
              when a file system is reached; any file system mounted under an  undesired  file  system  will  be
              ignored.  The environment variable PRUNEFS also sets this value.  Default is nfs NFS proc.

       --output=dbfile
              The  database  file  to  build.  Default is system-dependent.  In Debian GNU/Linux, the default is
              /var/cache/locate/locatedb.

       --localuser=user
              The user to search non-network directories as, using su(1).  Default is to search the  non-network
              directories  as the current user.  You can also use the environment variable LOCALUSER to set this
              user.

       --netuser=user
              The user to search network directories as, using su(1).  Default is daemon.  You can also use  the
              environment variable NETUSER to set this user.

       --dbformat=F
              Create  the  database  in  format  F.   The  default format is called LOCATE02.  Alternatively the
              slocate format is also supported.  When the slocate format is in use,  the  database  produced  is
              marked  as  having security level 1.  If you want to build a system-wide slocate database, you may
              want to run updatedb as root.

       --version
              Print the version number of updatedb and exit.

       --help Print a summary of the options to updatedb and exit.

SEE ALSO

       find(1), locate(1), locatedb(5), xargs(1)

       The full documentation for updatedb is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the info and updatedb programs
       are  properly  installed  at  your site, the command info updatedb should give you access to the complete
       manual.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright © 1994-2019 Free Software Foundation,  Inc.   License  GPLv3+:  GNU  GPL  version  3  or  later
       <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
       This  is  free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent
       permitted by law.

BUGS

       The updatedb program correctly handles filenames containing newlines,  but  only  if  the  system's  sort
       command  has  a  working  -z  option.  If you suspect that locate may need to return filenames containing
       newlines, consider using its --null option.

       The best way to report a bug is to use the form at  https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=findutils.   The
       reason  for  this is that you will then be able to track progress in fixing the problem.   Other comments
       about updatedb(1) and about the findutils package in general can be sent  to  the  bug-findutils  mailing
       list.  To join the list, send email to bug-findutils-request@gnu.org.

                                                                                                     UPDATEDB(1)