YP_MKDB(8)

NAME
yp_mkdb - generate the NIS databases

SYNOPSIS
yp_mkdb -u dbname
yp_mkdb [-i inputfile] [-o outputfile] [-m mastername] inputfile dbname

DESCRIPTION
yp_mkdb creates db(3) style databases for use with FreeBSD's NIS server. yp_mkdb reads data from inputfile, and writes it to dbname in db(3) format (using the hash table method). The input should be in 'key data' format, which is to say two fields of ASCII data separated by white space. The first field is assumed to be the key, and everything else is assumed to be the data. These databases are typically stored in /var/yp/[domainname] where domainname is the name of the NIS domain being served. yp_mkdb is usually invoked by /var/yp/Makefile. yp_mkdb can also be used to dump an NIS database file so that its contents can be examined. For security reasons, all databases that yp_mkdb creates are readable and writable by owner only (and usually the owner is root).

The options are as follows:

-u dbname

    Dump (or 'unwind') an NIS database. This option can be used to inspect the contents of an existing NIS database.

[-i inputfile]

    When generating an NIS map, encode inputfile as a special entry in the database with called YP_INPUT_FILE.

[-o outputfile]

    When generating an NIS map, encode outputfile as a special entry in the database with called YP_OUTPUT_FILE.

[-m mastername]

    When generating an NIS map encode mastername as a special entry in the database with called YP_MASTER_NAME. This entry in the database is frequently used by various NIS utilities to determine the name of an NIS master server for a domain. By default, yp_mkdb assumes that the local host is the NIS master; the m option is used to override this default.

FILES
/var/yp/Makefile
    The Makefile that calls yp_mkdb to build the NIS databases.

SEE ALSO
ypserv(8), db(3)

LICENSE
This program is covered by the GNU Public License version 2.

AUTHOR
Tobias Reber (original Linux version)
Bill Paul <wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu> (port to FreeBSD and various changes)