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Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files?

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Erik Josefsson wrote:
> Den 2019-05-01 kl. 13:29, skrev Dan Purgert:
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>> Erik Josefsson wrote:
>>> I'm trying to learn how to set up my two Teres laptops so that they are
>>> identical.
>>>
>>> [...]
>>>
>>> I have tried to document my personal preferences before, but I have
>>> always ended up with unreadable handwritten notes.
>>>
>>> This time I thought I should do it in a more systematic way by somehow
>>> capture the difference between the default install and the result of my
>>> (often irrational) efforts to make my machines look and feel like I want
>>> it to.
>>>
>>> So, is there a way to trace/record/capture changes in all configuration
>>> files?
>>>
>> There are as many as people reading this channel :)
>>
>> Probably the simplest (and, to some extent, most error prone) is to
>> simply make copies, edit only the copies. For example:
>>
>>    cp orig.conf orig.conf.$(date +%y-%m-%d_%H%M%S)
>>    vi orig.conf
>>
>> and then you'll end up with stuff like
>>
>>    orig.conf
>>    orig.19-05-01_065356
>>    orig.19-05-01_104022
>>    (etc)
>>
>> Then just use 'diff' against any two files to see what changed between
>> them.
>
>
> Thanks Dan, I'll start with that method and maybe later I'll try Jonas' 
> proposal with etckeeper and git.
>
> But first, in which top level directories could files that change be 
> located?

Config files live in /etc (global configs, e.g. for sshd or apache, and
so on), or a user's $HOME directory (personal configs, e.g. your
Thunderbird profile)

> [...]
> For now, I just want to see where (and if) my setup is stored (e.g. 
> where does my wifi's SSID and passphrase end up? maybe in more than one 
> place?).

Depends on what tool you're using, probably in a config file under /etc.
On a box I have here running Network Manager, it's

  /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/${ssid_name}


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Thread

How do I trace changes in configuration files? Erik Josefsson <erik.hjalmar.josefsson@gmail.com> - 2019-05-01 11:40 +0200
  Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Jonas Smedegaard <jonas@jones.dk> - 2019-05-01 13:00 +0200
  Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2019-05-01 13:40 +0200
    Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Erik Josefsson <erik.hjalmar.josefsson@gmail.com> - 2019-05-01 18:50 +0200
      Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2019-05-01 19:30 +0200
      Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Joe <joe@jretrading.com> - 2019-05-01 23:20 +0200
        Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@panix.com> - 2019-05-02 00:10 +0200
      Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2019-05-02 05:30 +0200
        Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2019-05-02 13:10 +0200
        Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Lee <ler762@gmail.com> - 2019-05-02 18:20 +0200
          Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2019-05-02 22:20 +0200
            Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Lee <ler762@gmail.com> - 2019-05-02 23:00 +0200
  Re: How do I trace changes in configuration files? Andy Smith <andy@strugglers.net> - 2019-05-02 12:10 +0200

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