man md_src_plugins_resolver_README (3): README

Resolving Files

Use following command to see to which file is resolved to:

kdb file <Elektra path you are interested in>

See the constants of this plugin for further information, that are:

system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/ELEKTRA_VARIANT_SYSTEM
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/ELEKTRA_VARIANT_USER
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/KDB_DB_HOME
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/KDB_DB_SYSTEM
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/KDB_DB_USER
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/KDB_DB_SPEC
system/elektra/modules/resolver/constants/KDB_DB_DIR

The build-in resolving works like (with ~ and pwd resolved from system):

for spec with absolute path: path
for spec with relative path: KDB_DB_SPEC + path
for dir with absolute path: pwd + path (or above when path is found)
for dir with relative path: pwd + KDB_DB_DIR + path (or above when path is found)
for user with absolute path: ~ + path
for user with relative path: ~ + KDB_DB_USER + path
for system with absolute path: path
for system with relative path: KDB_DB_SYSTEM + path

Example

For an absolute path /example.ini, you might get following values:

for spec: /example.ini
for dir: pwd/example.ini
for user: ~/example.ini
for system: /example.ini

For an relative path example.ini, you might get following values:

for spec: /usr/share/elektra/specification/example.ini
for dir: pwd/.dir/example.ini
for user: ~/.config/example.ini
for system: /etc/kdb/example.ini

Variants

Many variants exist that additionally influence the lookup process, typically by using environment variables.

Environment variables are very simple for one-time usage but their maintenance in start-up scripts is problematic. Additionally, they are controlled by the user, so they cannot be trusted. So it is not recommended to use environment variables.

Note that the file permissions apply, so it might be possible for non-root to modify keys in system.

XDG Compatibility

The resolver is fully XDG compatible if configured with the variant:

xp, xh or xu for user (either using passwd, HOME or USER as fallback or any combination of these fallbacks)
x for system, no fallback necessary

Additionally KDB_DB_USER needs to be left unchanged as .config.

XDG_CONFIG_DIRS will be used to resolve system pathes the following way:

•: if unset or empty /etc/xdg will be used instead
•: all elements are searched in order of importance
•: if a file was found, the search process is stopped
•: if no file was found, the least important element will be used for potential write attempts.

Reading Configuration

1.) If no update needed (unchanged modification time): ABORT 2.) remember the last stat time (last update)

Writing Configuration