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(find.info)Database Locations

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Database Locations
==================

   There can be multiple file name databases.  Users can select which
databases `locate' searches using an environment variable or a command
line option.  The system administrator can choose the file name of the
default database, the frequency with which the databases are updated,
and the directories for which they contain entries.  File name
databases are updated by running the `updatedb' program, typically
nightly.

   In networked environments, it often makes sense to build a database
at the root of each filesystem, containing the entries for that
filesystem.  `updatedb' is then run for each filesystem on the
fileserver where that filesystem is on a local disk, to prevent
thrashing the network.  Here are the options to `updatedb' to select
which directories each database contains entries for:

`--localpaths='PATH...''
     Non-network directories to put in the database.  Default is `/'.

`--netpaths='PATH...''
     Network (NFS, AFS, RFS, etc.) directories to put in the database.
     The environment variable `NETPATHS' also sets this value.  Default
     is none.

`--prunepaths='PATH...''
     Directories to not put in the database, which would otherwise be.
     The environment variable `PRUNEPATHS' also sets this value.
     Default is `/tmp /usr/tmp /var/tmp /afs'.

`--prunefs='PATH...''
     File systems to not put in the database, which would otherwise be.
     Note that files are pruned when a file system is reached; Any file
     system mounted under an undesired file system will be ignored.
     The environment variable `PRUNEFS' also sets this value.  Default
     is `nfs NFS proc'.

`--output=DBFILE'
     The database file to build.  Default is system-dependent, but
     typically `/usr/local/var/locatedb'.

`--localuser=USER'
     The user to search the non-network directories as, using `su'.
     Default is to search the non-network directories as the current
     user.  You can also use the environment variable `LOCALUSER' to
     set this user.

`--netuser=USER'
     The user to search network directories as, using `su'.  Default is
     `daemon'.  You can also use the environment variable `NETUSER' to
     set this user.