Glossary

catalog
A simple flat data store constructed by the create sub-command. The catalog provides a file path (stored as a path relative to the root directory) for each selected file within the directory structure, and a hash signature using the specified hash algorithm (sha224 is the default). The catalog is constructed recursively from the root downwards.
check
The sub command to scan the local directory structure are create a report comparing the local directory structure with the previously created catalog. The check command uses the data in the catalog to identfy mismatched files, extra files and missing files.
create
The sub-command to scan a directory structure and create a catalog of relevant files. The catalog contains the path to the file, and a signature hash value so that any subsequent changes can be reported.
extra
A file which exists within the directory structure but does not exist within the catalog. The command line options -x/-X can be used to control if extra file anomalies are reported on.
mismatch
Any file where the file within the directory structure has a different hash signature than the signature that exists in the catalog for the same file. The command line options -m/-M can be used to control if mismatch anomalies are reported on.
missing
A file which exists in the catalog but does not exist within the directory structure. The command line options -i/-I can be used to control if missing file anomalies are reported on.
reportable anomaly
Anomalies are the potential results of the check command. There are three types of anomaly : mismatch, missing and extra files.
root
An optional argument provided to the command line or the API to identify where the analysis of the directory structure should start. It defaults to ‘.’ (i.e. the current working directory when the create or check sub-commands or APIs are executed.
selected file

A file which is identified as needing to be cataloged, or needing to be checked against the catalog.

There are multiple mechanisms for including and excluding files from the catalog and they are applied In strict order :

  • All files within top level directories (as modified using the -d/+d options and the [directories] section of the config file) are not cataloged regardless of their file extensions
  • Files whose files extension does not match one of the file extension list (as modified by -e/+e and the [extensions] section of the config file) are not cataloged.
  • Files which match any specific exclusion filter (the -f option or the exclude option in the config [filters] section) are not cataloged.
  • Files which do not match any specific included filter (the +f option or the include option in the config [filters] section) are not cataloged.
top level directory
A directory contained within the root directory. The catalog tool set and APIs has the feature of being able to entirely disregard named top-level directories without analyzing the contents.