NAME

       git-annex-migrate - switch data to different backend

SYNOPSIS

       git annex migrate [path ...]

       git annex migrate --update

DESCRIPTION

       Changes  the  specified  annexed  files  to  use the default key-value backend (or the one
       specified with --backend). Only files whose content is currently present are migrated.

       Note that the content is also still stored  using  the  old  keys  after  migration.  When
       possible,  hard  links  are  used  to avoid that taking up extra disk space. Use git annex
       unused to find and remove the old keys.

       Normally, nothing will be done to specified files that are already using the new  backend.
       However, if a backend changes the information it uses to construct a key, this can also be
       used to migrate files to use the new key format.

OPTIONS

       --update

              This updates the local repository for migrations  that  were  performed  elsewhere.
              Only new migrations since the last time this was run will be performed.

              This  does  not  modify  the  working  tree,  but only hard links (or in some cases
              copies) annex objects to their new keys.

              git-annex pull and git-annex sync  --content  automatically  do  this,  unless  the
              annex.syncmigrations config is set to false.

              Note  that older versions of git-annex did not record migrations in a way that this
              can use. Migrations performed with those older versions had to be manually  run  in
              each clone of the repository.

       --apply
              This   applies  all  recorded  migrations  to  the  local  repository.  It  is  the
              non-incremental form of --update.

              One situation where this can be useful is when git-annex migrate --update has  been
              run,  but  since  then  un-migrated objects have entered the repository. Using this
              option ensures that any such objects get migrated.

              Note that older versions of git-annex did not record migrations in a way that  this
              can  use.  Migrations performed with those older versions had to be manually run in
              each clone of the repository.

       --backend
              Specify the new key-value backend to use for migrated data.

       --force
              Force migration of keys that are already using the new backend.

       file matching options
              The git-annex-matching-options(1) can be used to specify files to migrate.

       Also the git-annex-common-options(1) can be used.

       --remove-size
              Keys often include the size of their content, which is generally a useful thing. In
              fact,  this  command  defaults  to  adding missing size information to keys in most
              migrations. With this option, the size information is removed instead.

              One use of this option is to convert URL keys that were added by  git-annex  addurl
              --fast  to  ones  that  would  have  been  added  if  that command was run with the
              --relaxed option. Eg:

               git-annex migrate --remove-size --backend=URL somefile

              To add back the size to an URL key, use this:

              git-annex migrate --backend=URL somefile

       --json Enable JSON output. This is intended to be parsed by programs that  use  git-annex.
              Each line of output is a JSON object.

       --json-error-messages
              Messages  that  would normally be output to standard error are included in the JSON
              instead.

SEE ALSO

       git-annex(1)

       git-annex-upgrade(1)

       git-annex-backend(1)

AUTHOR

       Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

                                                                             git-annex-migrate(1)