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Commands

This article lists all database commands supported by BaseX.

Commands can be executed from the Command Line, as part of Scripts, via the Clients, REST, the input field in the Graphical User Interface, and other ways. If the GUI is used, all commands that are triggered by the GUI itself will show up in the Info View. The Permission fields indicate which rights are required by a user to perform a command in the client/server architecture.

Basics

Command Scripts

On command line, multiple commands can be written down in a single line (separated by semicolons). You can also put them into a command script: Database commands in both string and XML syntax can be placed in a text file and stored as file with the BaseX command script suffix .bxs. If the path to a script file is passed on to BaseX on command-line, or if it is opened in the GUI editor, it will be recognized and evaluated as such.

String Syntax

Lines starting with # are interpreted as comments and are skipped. With the following script, a database is created, two documents are added to it, and a query is performed:

CREATE DB test
ADD TO embedded.xml <root>embedded</root>
# run query
XQUERY <hits>{ count(//text()) }</hits>
CLOSE

XML Syntax

The string syntax is limited when XML snippets need to be embedded in a command, or when complex queries are to be specified.

The XML syntax provides more flexibility here. Multiple commands can be enclosed by a <commands/> root element. Some commands, such as ADD, allow you to directly embed XML documents. If you want to embed XML in XQuery expressions, entities should be encoded, or the CDATA syntax should be used:

<commands>
  <create-db name='test'/>
  <add path='embedded.xml'><root>embedded</root></add>
  <!-- run query -->
  <xquery><![CDATA[
    <hits>{ count(//text()) }</hits>
  ]]></xquery>
  <close/>
</commands>

Glob Syntax

Some commands support the glob syntax to address more than one database or user. Question marks and asterisks can be used to match one or more characters, and commas can be used to separate multiple patterns. Some examples:

  • AB? addresses all names with the characters AB and one more character.
  • *AB addresses all names ending with the characters AB.
  • X*,Y*,Z* addresses all names starting with the characters X, Y, or Z.

Valid Names

Names of databases and users follow the same constraints: Names must at least have one printable character, including letters, numbers, and any of the special characters !#$%&'()+-=@[]^_{}~ and backticks. The following characters are disallowed:

  • ,?*: glob syntax
  • ;: Separator for multiple database commands on the command line
  • \/: Directory path separators
  • :"<>|: invalid filename characters on Windows
  • Names starting or ending with .: hidden folders (e.g. the .logs directory)

Aliases

In all commands, the DB keyword can be replaced by DATABASE.

Database Operations

CREATE DB

Syntax
CREATE DB [name] ([input])
XML Syntax
<create-db name='...'>([input])</create-db>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryCreates a new database with the specified name and, optionally, an initial input, and opens it. An existing database will be overwritten. The input can be a file or directory path to XML documents, a remote URL, or a string containing XML:

If you need to add initial resources, it is always faster to supply them at creation time than adding them in a subsequent step via ADD.

ErrorThe command fails if a database with the specified name is currently used by another process, if one of the documents to be added is not well-formed or if it cannot be parsed for some other reason.
Examples
CREATE DB input
Creates an empty database input.
CREATE DB xmark https://files.basex.org/xml/xmark.xml
Creates the database xmark, containing a single initial document called xmark.xml.
CREATE DATABASE coll /path/to/input
Creates the database coll with all documents found in the input directory.
SET INTPARSE false; CREATE DB input input.xml
Creates a database input with input.xml as initial document, which will be parsed with Java’s default XML parser.
<create-db name='simple'><hello>Universe</hello></create-db>
Creates a database named simple with an initial document <hello>Universe</hello>.

OPEN

Syntax
OPEN [name]
XML Syntax
<open name='...'/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryOpens the database specified by name.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified database does not exist, is currently being updated by another process, or cannot be opened for some other reason.

CHECK

Syntax
CHECK [input]
XML Syntax
<check input='...'/>
PermissionREAD/CREATE
SummaryThis convenience command combines OPEN and CREATE DB: If a database with the name input exists, and if there is no existing file or directory with the same name that has a newer timestamp, the database is opened. Otherwise, a new database is created; if the specified input points to an existing resource, it is stored as initial content.
ErrorThe command fails if the addressed database could neither be opened nor created.

CLOSE

Syntax
CLOSE 
XML Syntax
<close/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryCloses the currently opened database.
ErrorThe command fails if the database files could not be closed for some reason.

LIST

Syntax
LIST ([name] ([path]))
XML Syntax
<list (name='...' (path='...'))/>
PermissionNONE
SummaryLists all available databases. If name is specified, the resources of a database are listed. The output can be further restricted to the resources matching the specified path. If database resources are listed, the size is either the number of nodes (for XML resources) or the number of bytes (for binary resources).
ErrorThe command fails if the optional database cannot be opened, or if the existing databases cannot be listed for some other reason.

DIR

Syntax
DIR ([path]))
XML Syntax
<dir (path='...')/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryLists directories and resources of the currently opened database and the specified path. If database resources are listed, the size is either the number of nodes (for XML resources) or the number of bytes (for binary resources).

EXPORT

Syntax
EXPORT [path]
XML Syntax
<export path='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryExports all documents in the database to the specified file path, using the serializer options specified by the EXPORTER option.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, if the target path points to a file or is invalid, if the serialization parameters are invalid, or if the documents cannot be serialized for some other reason.

CREATE INDEX

Syntax
CREATE INDEX [TEXT|ATTRIBUTE|TOKEN|FULLTEXT]
XML Syntax
<create-index type='text|attribute|token|fulltext'/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryCreates the specified Value Index. The current Index Options will be considered when creating the index.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, if the specified index is unknown, or if indexing fails for some other reason.

DROP INDEX

Syntax
DROP INDEX [TEXT|ATTRIBUTE|TOKEN|FULLTEXT]
XML Syntax
<drop-index type='text|attribute|token|fulltext'/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryDrops the specified Value Index.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, if the specified index is unknown, or if it could not be deleted for some other reason.

ALTER DB

Syntax
ALTER DB [name] [newname]
XML Syntax
<alter-db name='...' newname='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryRenames the database specified by name to newname. newname must be a valid database name.
ErrorThe command fails if the source database does not exist or is currently locked, or if it could not be renamed for some other reason.
Examples
ALTER DB db tempdb
Renames the database db into tempdb.

DROP DB

Syntax
DROP DB [name]
XML Syntax
<drop-db name='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryDrops the database with the specified name. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one database.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified database does not exist or is currently locked, or if the database could not be deleted for some other reason.

COPY

Syntax
COPY [name] [newname]
XML Syntax
<copy name='...' newname='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryCreates a copy of the database specified by name. newname must be a valid database name.
ErrorThe command fails if the source database does not exist.

INSPECT

Syntax
INSPECT
XML Syntax
<inspect/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryPerforms some integrity checks on the opened database and returns a brief summary.

Backups

CREATE BACKUP

Syntax
CREATE BACKUP ([name] ([comment]))
XML Syntax
<create-backup (name='...') (comment='...')/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryCreates a backup of the database specified by name, with an optional comment. If no name is supplied, general data will be backed up. The backup file will be suffixed with the current timestamp and stored in the database directory. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one database.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified database does not exist, or if it could not be zipped for some other reason.
Examples
BACKUP db
Creates a zip archive of the database db (e.g. db-2014-04-01-12-27-28.zip) in the database directory.

DROP BACKUP

Syntax
DROP BACKUP ([name])
XML Syntax
<drop-backup (name='...')/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryDrops all backups of the database with the specified name, or a specific backup file if the name ends with its timestamp. If no name is supplied, backups with general data are addressed. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one database.
Examples
DROP BACKUP abc*
Deletes the backups of all databases starting with the characters abc.
DROP BACKUP factbook-2021-05-16-13-13-10
Deletes a specific backup file.

ALTER BACKUP

Syntax
ALTER BACKUP [name] [newname]
XML Syntax
<alter-backup name='...' newname='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryRenames all backups of the database with the specified name to newname. If the name ends with a timestamp, only the specified backup file will be renamed. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one database.
Examples
ALTER BACKUP logs logs-backup
Renames the backups of the logs database to logs-backup.

RESTORE

Syntax
RESTORE ([name])
XML Syntax
<restore (name='...')/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryRestores a database with the specified name. The name may include the timestamp of the backup file. If no name is supplied, general data will be restored. If general data is restored, it will only be available after BaseX has been restarted.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified backup does not exist, if the database to be restored is currently locked, or if it could not be restored for some other reason.

SHOW BACKUPS

Syntax
SHOW BACKUPS
XML Syntax
<show-backups/>
PermissionCREATE
SummaryShows all database backups.

Querying

XQUERY

Syntax
XQUERY [query]
XML Syntax
<xquery>[query]</xquery>
Permissiondepends on query
SummaryRuns the specified query and prints the result.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified query is invalid.
Examples
XQUERY 1 to 10
Returns the sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).
SET RUNS 10; XQUERY 1 to 10
Returns the results after having run the query 10 times.
SET XMLPLAN true; XQUERY 1 to 10
Returns the result and prints the query plan as XML.

GET

Syntax
GET [path]
XML Syntax
<get path='...'/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryRetrieves an XML document from the opened database at the specified path.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened or if the source path is invalid.

BINARY GET

Syntax
BINARY GET [path]
XML Syntax
<binary-get path='...'/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryRetrieves a binary resource from the opened database at the specified path.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened or if the source path is invalid.

FIND

Syntax
FIND [query]
XML Syntax
<find>[query]</find>
PermissionREAD
SummaryBuilds and runs a query for the specified query terms. Keywords can be enclosed in quotes to look for phrases. The following modifiers can be used to further limit search: = looks for exact text nodes ~ looks for approximate hits @= looks for exact attribute values @ looks for attributes
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened.

TEST

Syntax
TEST [path]
XML Syntax
<test path='...'/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryRuns all XQUnit tests in the specified path. The path can point to a single file or a directory. Unit testing can also be triggered via -t on command line.
ErrorThe command fails if at least one test fails.
Examples
TEST project/tests
Runs all tests in the directory project/tests.

REPO INSTALL

Syntax
REPO INSTALL [path]
XML Syntax
<repo-install path='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
Summary Installs the package with path path.
ErrorThe command fails in the following cases:
  • The package to be installed is not a xar file.
  • The package to be installed does not exist or is already installed.
  • The package descriptor is with invalid syntax.
  • The package to be installed depends on a package which is not installed.
  • The package is not supported by the current version of BaseX.
  • A component of the package is already installed as part of another package.

REPO LIST

Syntax
REPO LIST
XML Syntax
<repo-list/>
PermissionREAD
Summary Lists all installed packages.

REPO DELETE

Syntax
REPO DELETE [name]
XML Syntax
<repo-delete name='...'/>
PermissionCREATE
Summary Deletes the specified package with the specified name. What is called “name” can also be the id (which is the name followed by the version) or the directory of the package.
Error The command fails if the package to be deleted is required by another package.

Updates

ADD

Syntax
ADD (TO [path]) [input]
XML Syntax
<add (path='...')>[input]</add>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryAdds a file, directory or XML string specified by input to the currently opened database at the specified path:
  • input may either be a single XML document, a directory, a remote URL or a plain XML string.
  • A document with the same path may occur more than once in a database. If this is unwanted, the PUT command can be used.
  • If a file is too large to be added in one go, its data structures will be cached to disk first. Caching can be enforced by turning the ADDCACHE option on.

If files are to be added to an empty database, it is usually faster to use the CREATE DB command and specify the initial input as argument.

ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, if one of the documents to be added is not well-formed, or if it could not be parsed for some other reason.
Examples
ADD input.xml
Adds the file input.xml to the database.
ADD TO temp/one.xml input.xml
Adds input.xml to the database and moves it to temp/one.xml.
ADD TO target/ xmldir
Adds all files from the xmldir directory to the database in the target path.

DELETE

Syntax
DELETE [path]
XML Syntax
<delete path='...'/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryDeletes all documents from the currently opened database that start with the specified path.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened.

RENAME

Syntax
RENAME [path] [newpath]
XML Syntax
<rename path='...' newpath='...'/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryRenames all document paths in the currently opened database that start with the specified path. The command may be used to either rename single documents or directories.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, or if the target path is empty.
Examples
RENAME one.xml two.xml.
Renames the document one.xml to two.xml.
RENAME / TOP
Moves all documents to a TOP root directory.

PUT

Syntax
PUT [path] [input]
XML Syntax
<put path='...'>[input]</put>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryAdds or replaces resources in the currently opened database, addressed by path, with the file, directory or XML string specified by input.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened or if the specified path is invalid.
Examples
PUT one.xml input.xml
Replaces one.xml with the contents of the file input.xml.
PUT top.xml <xml/>
Replaces top.xml with the XML document <xml/>.

BINARY PUT

Syntax
BINARY PUT (TO [path]) [input]
XML Syntax
<binary-put (path='...')>[input]</store>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryStores a binary resource specified via input in the opened database to the specified path:
  • The input may either be a file reference, a remote URL, or a plain string.
  • If the path denotes a directory, it needs to be suffixed with a slash (/).
  • An existing resource will be replaced.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, if the specified resource is not found, if the target path is invalid or if the data cannot not be written for some other reason.

OPTIMIZE

Syntax
OPTIMIZE (ALL)
XML Syntax
<optimize/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryOptimizes the index structures, metadata and statistics of the currently opened database:
  • If ALL is specified, all database structures are completely reconstructed. The database size will be reduced, and all orphaned data will be deleted.
  • Without ALL, only the outdated index structures and database statistics will be updated. If the database is completely up-to-date, nothing will be done.
  • Database options will be adopted from the original database. Only AUTOOPTIMIZE and (if ALL is specified) UPDINDEX will be adopted from the current options.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, or if the currently opened database is a main-memory instance.

FLUSH

Syntax
FLUSH
XML Syntax
<flush/>
PermissionWRITE
SummaryExplicitly flushes the buffers of the currently opened database to disk. This command is applied if AUTOFLUSH has been set to false.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened.

User Management

CREATE USER

Syntax
CREATE USER [name] ([password])
XML Syntax
<create-user name='...'>([password])</create-user>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryCreates a user with the specified name and password. If no password is specified, it is requested via the chosen frontend (GUI or command line).
ErrorThe command fails if the specified user already exists.

ALTER USER

Syntax
ALTER USER [name] ([newname])
XML Syntax
<alter-user name='...' newname='...'/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryRenames the user with the specified name to newname.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified user does not exist, or if the new user already exists.

ALTER PASSWORD

Syntax
ALTER PASSWORD [name] ([password])
XML Syntax
<alter-password name='...'>([password])</alter-password>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryAlters the password of the user with the specified name. If no password is specified, it is requested via the chosen frontend (GUI or command line).
ErrorThe command fails if the specified user does not exist.

DROP USER

Syntax
DROP USER [name] (ON [pattern])
XML Syntax
<drop-user name='...' (pattern='...')/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryDrops the user with the specified name. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one database or user. If a glob pattern is specified, only the assigned database pattern will be removed.
ErrorThe command fails if admin is specified as username, or if the specified user does not exist or is currently logged in.

GRANT

Syntax
GRANT [NONE|READ|WRITE|CREATE|ADMIN] (ON [pattern]) TO [user]
XML Syntax
<grant name='...' permission='none|read|write|create|admin' (pattern='...')/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryGrants the specified permission to the specified user. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one user. If a glob pattern is specified, the permission will be applied to all databases that match this pattern.
ErrorThe command fails if admin is specified as username or if the specified user does not exist.
Examples
GRANT READ TO JoeWinson
Grants READ permission to the user JoeWinson.
GRANT WRITE ON Wiki TO editor*
Grants WRITE permissions on the Wiki database to all users starting with the characters editor*.

PASSWORD

Syntax
PASSWORD ([password])
XML Syntax
<password>([password])</password>
PermissionNONE
SummaryChanges the password of the current user. If the command is run on command-line or in the GUI, the password can be omitted and entered interactively.

Administration

SHOW OPTIONS

Syntax
SHOW OPTIONS [name]
XML Syntax
<show-options (name='...')/>
PermissionNONE
SummaryReturns the current values of all Options, or a single option with the specified name. Global options can only be requested by users with ADMIN permissions.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified option is unknown.

SHOW SESSIONS

Syntax
SHOW SESSIONS
XML Syntax
<show-sessions/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryShows all sessions that are connected to the current server instance.

SHOW USERS

Syntax
SHOW USERS (ON [database])
XML Syntax
<show-users (database='...')/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryShows all users that are visible to the current user. If a database is specified, only those users will be shown for which a pattern was specified that matches the database name.
ErrorThe command fails if the optional database could not be opened.

KILL

Syntax
KILL [target]
XML Syntax
<kill target='...'/>
PermissionADMIN
SummaryKills sessions of a user or an IP:port combination, specified by target. The Glob Syntax can be used to address more than one user.
ErrorThe command fails if a user tried to kill his/her own session.

INFO DB

Syntax
INFO DB
XML Syntax
<info-db/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryShows general information and metadata on the currently opened database.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened.

INFO INDEX

Syntax
INFO INDEX ([ELEMNAME|ATTRNAME|PATH|TEXT|ATTRIBUTE|TOKEN|FULLTEXT])
XML Syntax
<info-index type='elemname|attrname|path|text|attribute|token|fulltext'/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryShows information on the existing index structures. The output can be optionally limited to the specified index.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, or if the specified index is unknown.

INFO STORAGE

Syntax
INFO STORAGE end
XML Syntax
<info-storage (start='...') (end='...')/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryShows the internal main table of the currently opened database. An integer range may be specified as argument.
ErrorThe command fails if no database is opened, or if one of the specified arguments is invalid.

General Commands

RUN

Syntax
RUN [file]
XML Syntax
<run file='...'/>
Permissiondepends on input
SummaryEvaluates the contents of file as XQuery expression. If the file ends with the suffix .bxs, the file contents will be evaluated as command script. This command can be used to run several commands in a row, with no other transaction intervening the execution.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified file does not exist, or if the retrieved input is invalid. It will be canceled as soon as one of the executed commands fails.
Examples
RUN query.xq
Will evaluate the specified file as XQuery expression.
RUN commands.bxs
Will evaluate the specified file as command script.

EXECUTE

Syntax
EXECUTE [input]
XML Syntax
<execute>[input]</execute>
Permissiondepends on input
SummaryEvaluates the specified input as command script. This command can be used to run several commands in a row, with no other transaction intervening the execution.
ErrorThe command fails if the syntax of the specified input is invalid. It will be canceled as soon as one of the executed commands fails.
Examples
EXECUTE "<commands><create-db name='db1'/><create-db name='db2'/></commands>"
Two databases will be created in a single transaction.

SET

Syntax
SET [option] ([value])
XML Syntax
<set option='...'>([value])</set>
PermissionNONE
SummarySets the Option specified by option to a new value. Only local options can be modified. If no value is specified, and if the value is boolean, it will be inverted.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified option is unknown or if the specified value is invalid.

INFO

Syntax
INFO
XML Syntax
<info/>
PermissionREAD
SummaryShows global information.

HELP

Syntax
HELP ([command])
XML Syntax
<help>([command])</help>
PermissionNONE
SummaryIf command is specified, information on the specific command is printed; otherwise, all commands are listed.
ErrorThe command fails if the specified command is unknown.

EXIT

Syntax
EXIT 
XML Syntax
<exit/>
PermissionNONE
SummaryExits the console mode.

QUIT

Syntax
QUIT 
XML Syntax
<quit/>
PermissionNONE
SummaryExits the console mode (alias of EXIT).

Changelog

Version 10Version 9.7Version 9.3Version 8.6
  • Updated: SHOW USERS: If called by non-admins, will only return the current user
Version 8.5
  • Added: JOBS LIST, JOBS RESULT, JOBS STOP
  • Updated: Valid Names: allow dots (except as first and last character)
Version 8.4Version 8.2
  • Removed: CREATE EVENT, DROP EVENT and SHOW EVENTS command
Version 8.0Version 7.9
  • Added: TEST runs XQUnit tests.
Version 7.7Version 7.5Version 7.3
  • Added: XML Syntax added.
  • Updated: CHECK can now be used to create empty databases.
  • Updated: Names and paths in OPEN and LIST are now specified as separate arguments.
Version 7.2.1
  • Updated: permissions for GET and SET changed from READ to NONE.
Version 7.2Version 7.1
  • Updated: KILL (killing sessions by specifying IP:port)
Version 7.0
  • Added: FLUSH, RETRIEVE, STORE
  • Updated: ADD: simplified arguments

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