Document loop re-use, conflict checks and --force. Signed-off-by: Stanislav Brabec <sbrabec@xxxxxxx> --- sys-utils/losetup.8 | 15 +++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+) diff --git a/sys-utils/losetup.8 b/sys-utils/losetup.8 index b614416..9924031 100644 --- a/sys-utils/losetup.8 +++ b/sys-utils/losetup.8 @@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ is used to associate loop devices with regular files or block devices, to detach loop devices, and to query the status of a loop device. If only the \fIloopdev\fP argument is given, the status of the corresponding loop device is shown. If no option is given, all loop devices are shown. +To prevent data loss, return error if an overlaying device exists. .sp Note that the old output format (i.e. \fBlosetup -a\fR) with comma-delimited strings is deprecated in favour of the \fB--list\fR output format. @@ -101,6 +102,20 @@ Find the first unused loop device. If a .I file argument is present, use the found device as loop device. Otherwise, just print its name. + +Since util-linux v2.29 \fI--find\fP command re-uses the loop device rather than +initialize a new device if the same backing file is already initialized with the +same offset and sizelimit. +.TP +.BR \-F , " \-\-force" +Force to create conflicting loop device. If \fIloopdev\fP is specified, +error is ignored and a conflicting loop device is created. + +If \fI--find\fP with argument is speficied together with \fI--force\fP, new +loop device is always allocated instead of re-use of matching one. + +Note that overlaying loop devices can cause data loss, corruption and +overwrites. Use with extreme care! .TP .BR \-j , " \-\-associated " \fIfile Show the status of all loop devices associated with the given -- 2.9.2 -- Best Regards / S pozdravem, Stanislav Brabec software developer --------------------------------------------------------------------- SUSE LINUX, s. r. o. e-mail: sbrabec@xxxxxxxx Křižíkova 148/34 (Corso IIa) tel: +49 911 7405384547 186 00 Praha 8-Karlín fax: +420 284 084 001 Czech Republic http://www.suse.cz/ PGP: 830B 40D5 9E05 35D8 5E27 6FA3 717C 209F A04F CD76 -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe util-linux" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
