PERSONALITY(8)

NAME
personality - system configuration management utility

SYNOPSIS
personality [options ...]

DESCRIPTION
This script provides functionality for manipulating collections of configuration files which can be organised so as to alter the personality of a system.

Initially, the base personality is established. This personality contains the reference copies of configuration files, and is used when creating new personalities. The files which are currently considered part of the system's personality are those contained in the base personality.

A new personality is established by making a copy of the base personality under a new name. Each personality maintains a separate copy of all configuration files under /etc/personality.

To install a new personality, the files currently in place are saved back to the current personality as indicated in /etc/personality/current, and the files for the new personality copied into place.

The select and menu commands which perform these installations are implemented in such a fashion as to only require the tools available on the root filesystem, so that they may be invoked at the earliest stage during system startup.

If the current personality has become damaged, it can be restored from the saved copy.

Files can be added to and removed from the personality set. When a new file is added, it is copied from the current system into all personalities and added to the list file. When a file is removed the current version is kept in place, but all copies are removed from saved personalities and the file is removed from the list.

FILES
/etc/personality
    configuration base
/etc/personality/_base
    system files under management of personality
/etc/personality/current
    backup location of current files before new personality is copied into place

SEE ALSO
rc(8)

BUGS
Currently none.

HISTORY
The personality script has been written 1997 by Mike Smith <msmith@FreeBSD.org>. The personality manual page has been written by Andreas Klemm <andreas@FreeBSD.org>.