xfs\_protofile(8) System Manager's Manual xfs\_protofile(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

xfs\_protofile - create a protofile for use with mkfs.xfs

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**xfs\_protofile** *path* \[ *paths...* ]  
**xfs\_protofile -V**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**xfs\_protofile** walks a directory tree to generate a protofile. The protofile format is specified in the [**mkfs.xfs**(8)](/man/os/xfsprogs/mkfs.xfs.8) manual page and is derived from 3rd edition Unix.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

[*path*](#path)

Create protofile directives to copy this path into the root directory. If the path is a directory, protofile directives will be emitted to replicate the entire subtree as a subtree of the root directory. If the path is a not a directory, protofile directives will be emitted to create the file as an entry in the root directory. The first path must resolve to a directory.

# [BUGS](#BUGS)

Filenames cannot contain spaces. Extended attributes are not copied into the filesystem.

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Document: xfs_protofile(8) from xfsprogs 7.2.1-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub/scm/fs/xfs/xfsprogs-dev