Config block¶

The config entry (mandatory) contains global settings.

Entry	Description	Default
`backup`	Create a backup of the existing destination; see backup entry)	true
`banner`	Display the banner	true
`check_version`	Check if a new version of dotdrop is available on github	false
`chmod_on_import`	Always add a chmod entry on newly imported dotfiles (see `--preserve-mode`)	false
`clear_workdir`	On `install` clear the `workdir` before installing dotfiles (see `--workdir-clear`)	false
`compare_workdir`	On `compare` notify on files in `workdir` not tracked by dotdrop	false
`cmpignore`	List of patterns to ignore when comparing, applied to all dotfiles (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see ignore patterns)	-
`create`	Create a directory hierarchy when installing dotfiles if it doesn't exist	true
`default_actions`	List of action keys to execute for all installed dotfiles (See actions)	-
`diff_command`	The diff command to use for diffing files	`diff -r -u {0} {1}`
`dotpath`	Path to the directory containing the dotfiles to be managed by dotdrop (absolute path or relative to the config file location)	`dotfiles`
`filter_file`	List of paths to load templating filters from (See Templating available filters)	-
`force_chmod`	If true, do not ask confirmation to apply permissions on install	false
`func_file`	List of paths to load templating functions from (See Templating available methods)	-
`ignore_missing_in_dotdrop`	Ignore missing files in dotdrop when comparing and importing (See Ignore missing)	false
`ignoreempty`	Do not deploy template if empty	false
`impignore`	List of patterns to ignore when importing (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see ignore patterns)	-
`import_actions`	List of paths to load actions from (absolute path or relative to the config file location; see Import actions from file)	-
`import_configs`	List of config file paths to be imported into the current config (absolute paths or relative to the current config file location; see Import config files)	-
`import_variables`	List of paths to load variables from (absolute paths or relative to the config file location; see Import variables from file)	-
`instignore`	List of patterns to ignore when installing, applied to all dotfiles (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see ignore patterns)	-
`keepdot`	Preserve leading dot when importing hidden file in the `dotpath`	false
`key_prefix`	Prefix dotfile key on `import` with `f<key_separator>` for file and `d<key_separator>` for directory	true
`key_separator`	Separator to use on dotfile key generation on `import`	`_`
`link_dotfile_default`	Set a dotfile's `link` attribute to this value when undefined. Possible values: nolink, absolute, relative (See Symlinking dotfiles)	`nolink`
`link_on_import`	Set a dotfile's `link` attribute to this value when importing. Possible values: nolink, absolute, relative Symlinking dotfiles)	`nolink`
`longkey`	Use long keys for dotfiles when importing (See Import dotfiles)	false
`minversion`	(for internal use, do not modify) Provides the minimal dotdrop version to use	-
`showdiff`	On install, show a diff before asking to overwrite (See `--showdiff`)	false
`template_dotfile_default`	Disable templating on all dotfiles when set to false	true
`upignore`	List of patterns to ignore when updating, appled to all dotfiles (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see ignore patterns)	-
`workdir`	Path to the directory where templates are installed before being symlinked when using `link:absolute\|relative\|link_children` (absolute path or relative to the config file location)	`~/.config/dotdrop`
~~link_by_default~~	When importing a dotfile, set `link` to this value by default	false

import_variables entry¶

It is possible to load variables/dynvariables from external files by providing their paths in the config entry import_variables.

The paths can be absolute or relative to the config file location.

config.yaml

config:
  backup: true
  create: true
  dotpath: dotfiles
  import_variables:
  - variables.d/myvars.yaml

variables.d/myvars.yaml

variables:
  var1: "extvar1"
dynvariables:
  dvar1: "echo extdvar1"

Dotdrop will fail if an imported path points to a non-existing file. It is possible to make non-existing paths not fatal by appending :optional to the path:

import_variables:
- variables.d/myvars.yaml:optional

import_actions entry¶

It is possible to load actions from external files by providing their paths in the config entry import_actions.

The paths can be absolute or relative to the config file location.

config.yaml

config:
  backup: true
  create: true
  dotpath: dotfiles
  import_actions:
  - actions.d/myactions.yaml
dotfiles:
  f_abc:
    dst: ~/.abc
    src: abc
    actions:
      - dateme

actions.d/myactions.yaml

actions:
  dateme: date > /tmp/timestamp

External/imported variables will take precedence over variables defined inside the main config file.

Dotdrop will fail if an imported path points to a non-existing file. It is possible to make non-existing paths not fatal by appending :optional to the path:

import_actions:
- actions.d/myactions.yaml:optional

import_configs entry¶

Entire config files can be imported using the import_configs entry. This means making the following available from the imported config file in the original config file:

dotfiles
profiles
actions
read/write transformations
variables/dynvariables

Paths to import can be absolute or relative to the importing config file location.

config.yaml

config:
  backup: true
  create: true
  dotpath: dotfiles
  import_configs:
  - other-config.yaml
dotfiles:
  f_abc:
    dst: ~/.abc
    src: abc
    actions:
    - show
profiles:
  my-host:
    dotfiles:
    - f_abc
    - f_def
  my-haskell:
    include:
    - other-host

other-config.yaml

config:
  backup: true
  create: true
  dotpath: dotfiles-other
  import_actions:
  - actions.yaml
dotfiles:
  f_def:
    dst: ~/.def
    src: def
  f_ghci:
    dst: ~/.ghci
    src: ghci
profiles:
  other-host:
    dotfiles:
    - f_gchi

actions.yaml

actions:
  post:
    show: less

In this example, config.yaml imports other-config.yaml. The dotfile f_def used in the profile my-host is defined in other-config.yaml, and so is the profile other-host included from my-haskell. The action show is defined in actions.yaml, which is in turn imported by other-config.yaml.

Dotdrop will fail if an imported path points to a non-existing file. It is possible to make non-existing paths not fatal by appending :optional to the path.

import_configs:
- other-config.yaml:optional

In case of a name clash (same name in importing and imported configs), the importing config will take precedence except for the variables and dynvariables (see variable and CONTRIBUTING doc).

default_actions entry¶

Dotdrop allows to execute an action for any dotfile installation. These actions work as any other action (pre or post).

For example, the below action will log each dotfile installation to a file.

actions:
  post:
    loginstall: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_src @@}} installed to {{@@ _dotfile_abs_dst @@}} >> {0}"
config:
  backup: true
  create: true
  dotpath: dotfiles
  default_actions:
  - loginstall "/tmp/dotdrop-installation.log"
dotfiles:
  f_vimrc:
    dst: ~/.vimrc
    src: vimrc
profiles:
  hostname:
    dotfiles:
    - f_vimrc

backup entry¶

When set to true, existing files that would be replaced by a dotdrop install, are backed up with the extension .dotdropbak if their content differ.

Note: * directories will not be backed up, only files * when using a different link value than nolink with directories, the files under the directory will not be backed up (See Symlinking dotfiles),