17.7 Configuring Compression Preferences for Directories and Files

File and directory compression preferences override the compression settings for the volume and server.

17.7.1 Using the Novell Client

  1. From a workstation, click the Novell Client icon (the big red N in the Notification area), select Novell Map Network Drive, then map a drive to the NSS volume, using the login and password of the admin user.

  2. Use either of the following methods to open the NetWare Info dialog box for the file or directory you want to manage:

    • In a file manager, navigate to the directory or file you want to manage. Right-click the directory or file, select Properties, then select the NetWare Info tab in the Properties window.

    • Click the Novell Client icon, select NetWare Utilities>Object Properties, navigate to and select the directory or file you want to manage, click OK, then select the NetWare Info tab in the NetWare Services window.

  3. Do any of the following:

    • Select its check box to enable (set) the Don’t Compress or Immediate Compression attribute.

    • Deselect its check box to disable (clear) the Don’t Compress or Immediate Compression attribute.

  4. Click OK or Apply to accept the changes, or click Cancel to back out of the process.

17.7.2 Using ATTRIB (Linux)

Use the attrib utility at the Linux terminal console prompt to view or modify file and directory attributes for compression on NSS volumes on Linux where compression is enabled.

Syntax

attrib [options] [filename]

Options

If both the set and clear options are selected, the clear option is completed before the set option. If the filename is not specified, the operation is completed on the current directory.

Option

Description

-s, --set=ATTRIBUTES

Sets the attributes on the specified file or directory.

-c, --clear=[ATTRIBUTES | all]

Clears the attributes on the specified file or directory.

Configuring Compression Attributes

Attribute

Description

Applies to Files

Applies to Directories

dc

Don’t Compress keeps data from being compressed. This attribute overrides settings for automatic compression of files not accessed within a specified number of days.

Yes

No

ic

Immediate Compression sets data to be compressed as soon as a file is closed. If applied to a directory, every file in the directory is compressed as each file is closed.

The files in the specified directory are compressed as soon as the operating system can perform the operation after the file is closed. This does not apply to the directory’s subdirectories and the files in them.

Yes

Yes

For example, to set the Don’t Compress attribute for all files in the current directory, enter

attrib --set=dc

For example, to clear the Immediate Compression attribute from the /usr/course/winter/students.sxi file, enter

attrib --clear=ic /usr/course/winter/students.sxi

Viewing Compression Status for Files and Directories

Enter attrib without options to show the compression attribute information for a specified file or for all files in the directory. You cannot modify Status attributes.

Status Attribute

Description

cc

Cannot Compress (status display only) displays if the file cannot be compressed because of limited space savings.

cm

Compressed (status display only) indicates whether the file is currently stored in compressed format.

To view the compression status of a file, enter the following at the server console:

attrib filename

Replace filename with the path to the file. For example, to view the attributes of the /usr/course/winter/students.sxi file, enter

attrib /usr/course/winter/students.sxi

To view the compression attributes of all files in the current directory, enter

attrib

17.7.3 Using FLAG (NetWare)

Use the flag command ( sys:\public\flag.exe) at a DOS command prompt to view or modify file and directory attributes for compression on NSS volumes on NetWare where compression is enabled.

FLAG is client-side application, not a server-side application. Install the Novell Client for Windows on your workstation, then use the Novell Map Network Drive option in the client menu to map a local drive letter to the sys:\public directory. Open a DOS Command Prompt window, cd to the mapped drive, then issue the flag command from the command line.

Syntax

flag path [[+ | -] attribute...] [/option...]

Options

The following table provides information about compression-related options for the flag command.

Parameter

Description

(no parameter)

If you type FLAG with no parameters, the attribute status of all the files in the current directory is displayed.

path

Specify the path to the file or directory whose attributes or search modes you want to modify.

+

Set specified attributes for a specified file or directory with the + (plus), or specify neither + nor - (minus).

If you set and clear attributes in the same command, group all + (plus) attributes together and all - (minus) attributes together.

-

Clear attributes from a specified file or directory with the - (minus).

If you set and clear attributes in the same command, group all + (plus) attributes together and all - (minus) attributes together.

attribute

Specify the compression-related attribute, such as Immediate Compression ( Ic) or Don’t Compress ( Dc).

/option

Replace option with any available option.

Use the /S option to search the subdirectories in the specified directory recursively to apply the command to files in the directory and to its subdirectories and the files beneath them.

For other options, see FLAG in the Utilities Reference for OES .

Configuring Compression Attributes for a Directory

Use the Flag command to set or clear the Immediate Compression attribute for a specified directory.

Attribute

Description

Ic (Immediate compress)

Compress the files in the specified directory as soon as the operating system can.

This does not apply to the directory’s subdirectories and the files in them. Use Ic in combination with the /S option to apply immediate compression to the directory’s subdirectories and their files recursively.

For example, to set the Immediate Compression attribute for the sys:\course\winter directory, enter

flag sys:\course\winter +Ic

For example, to clear the Immediate Compression attribute from the sys:\course\winter directory, enter

flag sys:\course\winter -Ic

Configuring Compression Attributes for a File

Use the flag command to set or clear the following compression attributes for a specified file.

Attribute

Description

Dc (Don’t Compress)

Prevent a specified file from being compressed.

Ic (Immediate compress)

Compress a file as soon as the operating system can.

For example, to set the Don’t Compress attribute to all files in the current directory, enter

flag *.* +Dc

For example, to clear the Immediate Compression attribute from the sys:\course\winter\students.sxi file, enter

flag sys:\course\winter\students.sxi -Ic

Viewing Compression Status for Files and Directories

Status flags show the compression attribute information for a file or directory. You cannot modify Status flags.

Status Attribute

Indicates

Cc (Cannot compress)

The file or directory cannot be compressed because of limited space savings.

Co (Compressed)

The file is currently stored in compressed format.

To view the compression status of a file, enter the following at the server console:

flag path

Replace path with the path to the directory or file. For example, to view the attributes of the students.sxi file in sys:\course\winter directory, enter

flag sys:\course\winter\students.sxi

To view the attributes of all files in the current directory, enter

flag