# elvprsv(8)

## NAME

         elvprsv - Preserve the the modified version of a file after a crash.

## SYNOPSIS

         elvprsv ["-why elvis died"] /tmp/filename...
         elvprsv -R /tmp/filename...

## DESCRIPTION

         elvprsv preserves your edited text after elvis dies.   The  text  can  be
         recovered later, via the elvprsv program.

         For UNIX-like systems, you should never need to run this program from the
         command line.  It is run automatically when elvis is about to die, and it
         should be run (via /etc/rc) when the computer is booted.  THAT'S ALL!

         For non-UNIX systems such as MS-DOS, you can either use elvprsv the  same
         way as under UNIX systems (by running it from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file), or
         you can run it separately with the "-R" flag to recover the files in  one
         step.

         If you're editing a file when elvis dies (due to  a  bug,  system  crash,
         power  failure, etc.)  then elvprsv will preserve the most recent version
         of your text.  The preserved text is stored in a  special  directory;  it
         does NOT overwrite your text file automatically.

         elvprsv will send mail to any user  whose  work  it  preserves,  if  your
         operating system normally supports mail.

## FILES

         /tmp/elv*
              The temporary file that elvis was using when it died.

         /usr/preserve/p*
              The text that is preserved by elvprsv.

         /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

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

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

## AUTHOR

         Steve Kirkendall
         kirkenda@cs.pdx.edu