# elvrec(1)

## NAME

         elvrec - Recover the modified version of a file after a crash

## SYNOPSIS

         elvrec [preservedfile [newfile]]

## DESCRIPTION

         If you're editing a file when elvis dies, the system  crashes,  or  power
         fails,  the  most  recent  version  of  your text will be preserved.  The
         preserved text is stored in a special directory; it  does  NOT  overwrite
         your text file automatically.

         The elvrec program locates the preserved version of  a  given  file,  and
         writes  it  over  the  top  of your text file -- or to a new file, if you
         prefer.  The recovered file will have nearly all of your changes.

         To see a list of all recoverable files, run elvrec with no arguments.

## FILES

         /usr/preserve/p*
              The text that was preserved when elvis died.

         /usr/preserve/Index
              A text file which lists the names of all preserved  files,  and  the
              names  of  the  /usr/preserve/p* files which contain their preserved
              text.

## BUGS

         elvrec is very picky about filenames.  You must tell it  to  recover  the
         file  using  exactly  the same pathname as when you were editing it.  The
         simplest way to do this is to go into the same directory  that  you  were
         editing,  and  invoke  elvrec  with  the same filename as elvis.  If that
         doesn't work, then try running elvrec with no arguments, to  see  exactly
         which pathname it is using for the desired file.

         Due to the permissions on the /usr/preserve directory,  on  UNIX  systems
         elvrec  must  be  run  as  superuser.  This is accomplished by making the
         elvrec executable be owned by "root" and setting its "set user id" bit.

         If you're editing a nameless buffer when elvis  dies,  then  elvrec  will
         pretend that the file was named "foo".

## AUTHOR

         Steve Kirkendall
         kirkenda@cs.pdx.edu