proplist(4)						     Kernel Interfaces Manual						       proplist(4)

NAME

       proplist - The storing, parsing, and retrieving of Extended File Attributes

DESCRIPTION

       Tru64  UNIX supports the storing, parsing, and retrieving of Extended File Attributes.  An Extended File Attribute is a name and value pair
       that is contained in a variable-sized structure called a Property List.	A Property List is part of  a  file's  metadata  and  can  contain
       abstract  name and value pairs (Extended File Attributes) that can be set either by the operating system (for example, ACLs and privileges)
       or by a user-level application (for example, PC File Attributes).

       Since Extended File Attributes are treated as an extension to a file's metadata, they are synchronously updated, thereby  ensuring  consis-
       tency.  Note that Extended File Attributes set by user-level applications are treated as opaque and can be virtually anything.

       To  ensure that all Property List names are unique, you must register your Property List names with Compaq.  Those Property List names with
       a prefix are reserved by Compaq.  In the case of conflicts, Compaq reserves the right to  arbitrate  the  naming  conventions  of  Property
       Lists.

       To register a Property List name, send a request by network mail to or write to:

       Tru64 UNIX File System Group
       ATTN: Property List Administrator
       Compaq Computer Corporation
       110 Spit Brook Road
       Nashua, NH. 03062-2698
       M/S ZKO3-3/U14

       Several user-level routines, listed in the Related Information section, work together to manipulate Extended File Attributes.  For example:
       To set attributes, you use the sizeof_proplist_entry(3) and add_proplist_entry(3) routines to initialize the Extended File Attribute buffer
       passed  to setproplist(3) or fsetproplist(3).  To fetch attributes, you use getproplist(3) or fgetproplist(3).  To parse the attribute buf-
       fer returned by setproplist(3) or fsetproplist(3), use the get_proplist_entry(3) routine.

       The format of the Extended File Attributes buffer, the values of the system-wide properties, and the format of the Property List structures
       are all defined in sys/proplist.h.

NOTES

       Extended  File Attributes are supported by the Advanced File System (AdvFS), the UNIX File System (UFS), and the Network File System (NFS).
       The latter through the use of the proplistd daemon and the mount -o proplist command.

       The archive utilities and support files with Extended File Attributes.  However, third-party archive utilities  may  not  support  Extended
       File Attributes and, consequently, if they are used on files with Extended File Attributes, the Extended File Attributes will be lost.

RELATED INFORMATION

       Functions: add_proplist_entry(3), delproplist(3), fdelproplist(3), fgetproplist(3), fsetproplist(3), get_proplist_entry(3), getproplist(3),
       setproplist(3), sizeof_proplist_entry(3).

       Files: libproplist.a, libproplist.so, sys/proplist.h, acl(4).

       Daemons: proplistd(8).  delim off

																       proplist(4)