\fIbridge\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIbridge\fR's set of external
IDs (if it was present).
+.IP
+For real bridges, the effect of this command is similar to that of a
+\fBset\fR or \fBremove\fR command in the \fBexternal\-ids\fR column of
+the \fBBridge\fR table. For fake bridges, it actually modifies keys
+with names prefixed by \fBfake\-bridge\-\fR in the \fBPort\fR table.
.
.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIbridge\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
Queries the external IDs on \fIbridge\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
+.IP
+For real bridges, the effect of this command is similar to that of a
+\fBget\fR command in the \fBexternal\-ids\fR column of the
+\fBBridge\fR table. For fake bridges, it queries keys with names
+prefixed by \fBfake\-bridge\-\fR in the \fBPort\fR table.
.
.SS "Port Commands"
.
Prints the name of the bridge that contains \fIport\fR on standard
output.
.
-.IP "\fBport\-set\-external\-id \fIport key\fR [\fIvalue\fR]"
-Sets or clears an ``external ID'' value on \fIport\fR. These value
-are intended to identify entities external to Open vSwitch with which
-\fIport\fR is associated, e.g. the port's identifier in a
-virtualization management platform. The Open vSwitch database schema
-specifies well-known \fIkey\fR values, but \fIkey\fR and \fIvalue\fR
-are otherwise arbitrary strings.
-.IP
-If \fIvalue\fR is specified, then \fIkey\fR is set to \fIvalue\fR for
-\fIport\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
-omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIport\fR's set of external
-IDs (if it was present).
-.
-.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIport\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
-Queries the external IDs on \fIport\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
-the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
-\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
-\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
-.
.SS "Interface Commands"
.
These commands examine the interfaces attached to an Open vSwitch
Prints the name of the bridge that contains \fIiface\fR on standard
output.
.
-.IP "\fBiface\-set\-external\-id \fIiface key\fR [\fIvalue\fR]"
-Sets or clears an ``external ID'' value on \fIiface\fR. These value
-are intended to identify entities external to Open vSwitch with which
-\fIiface\fR is associated, e.g. the interface's identifier in a
-virtualization management platform. The Open vSwitch database schema
-specifies well-known \fIkey\fR values, but \fIkey\fR and \fIvalue\fR
-are otherwise arbitrary strings.
-.IP
-If \fIvalue\fR is specified, then \fIkey\fR is set to \fIvalue\fR for
-\fIiface\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
-omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIiface\fR's set of external
-IDs (if it was present).
-.
-.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIiface\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
-Queries the external IDs on \fIiface\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
-the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
-\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
-\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
-.
.SS "OpenFlow Controller Connectivity"
.
\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR can perform all configured bridging and switching
the following forms:
.
.RS
-.TP
.so lib/vconn-active.man
.RE
.
the controller fails, no new network connections can be set up. If
the connection to the controller stays down long enough, no packets
can pass through the switch at all.
-.ST
+.PP
If the value is \fBstandalone\fR, or if neither of these settings
is set, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will take over
responsibility for setting up
MAC-learning switch. \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will continue to retry connecting
to the controller in the background and, when the connection succeeds,
it discontinues its standalone behavior.
-.ST
+.PP
If this option is set to \fBsecure\fR, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will not
set up flows on its own when the controller connection fails.
.
as well.
.
.ST "Database Command Syntax"
+.PP
+By default, database commands refuse to make some kinds of
+modifications that could violate database structuring constraints. If
+you are sure that you know what you are doing, use \fB\-\-force\fR to
+override this safety measure. Constraints that are enforced by the
+database server itself, instead of by \fBovs\-vsctl\fR, cannot be
+overridden this way.
.
.IP "\fBlist \fItable \fR[\fIrecord\fR]..."
List the values of all columns of each specified \fIrecord\fR. If no
optionally be specified, in which case the value associated with
\fIkey\fR in the column is printed, instead of the entire map.
.
-.IP "\fBset \fItable record column\fR[\fB:\fIkey\fR]\fB=\fIvalue\fR..."
+.IP "[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBset \fItable record column\fR[\fB:\fIkey\fR]\fB=\fIvalue\fR..."
Sets the value of each specified \fIcolumn\fR in the given
\fIrecord\fR in \fItable\fR to \fIvalue\fR. For map columns, a
\fIkey\fR may optionally be specified, in which case the value
associated with \fIkey\fR in that column is changed (or added, if none
exists), instead of the entire map.
.
-.IP "\fBadd \fItable record column \fR[\fIkey\fB=\fR]\fIvalue\fR..."
+.IP "[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBadd \fItable record column \fR[\fIkey\fB=\fR]\fIvalue\fR..."
Adds the specified value or key-value pair to \fIcolumn\fR in
\fIrecord\fR in \fItable\fR. If \fIcolumn\fR is a map, then \fIkey\fR
is required, otherwise it is prohibited. If \fIkey\fR already exists
in a map column, then the current \fIvalue\fR is not replaced (use the
\fBset\fR command to replace an existing value).
.
-.IP "\fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIvalue\fR..."
-.IQ "\fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIkey\fR..."
-.IQ "\fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIkey\fB=\fR\fIvalue\fR..."
+.IP "[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIvalue\fR..."
+.IQ "[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIkey\fR..."
+.IQ "[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBremove \fItable record column \fR\fIkey\fB=\fR\fIvalue\fR..."
Removes the specified values or key-value pairs from \fIcolumn\fR in
\fIrecord\fR in \fItable\fR. The first form applies to columns that
are not maps: each specified \fIvalue\fR is removed from the column.
It is not an error if the column does not contain the specified key or
value or pair.
.
-.IP "\fBclear \fItable record column\fR..."
+.IP "\fB[\fB\-\-force\fR] \fBclear\fR \fItable record column\fR..."
Sets each \fIcolumn\fR in \fIrecord\fR in \fItable\fR to the empty set
or empty map, as appropriate. This command applies only to columns
that are allowed to be empty.
.
+.IP "\fB\-\-force create \fItable column\fR[\fB:\fIkey\fR]\fB=\fIvalue\fR..."
+Creates a new record in \fItable\fR and sets the initial values of
+each \fIcolumn\fR. Columns not explicitly set will receive their
+default values.
+.IP
+This command requires the \fB\-\-force\fR option.
+.
+.IP "\fB\-\-force \fR[\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR] \fBdestroy \fItable record\fR..."
+Deletes each specified \fIrecord\fR from \fItable\fR. Unless
+\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR is specified, each \fIrecord\fRs must exist.
+.IP
+This command requires the \fB\-\-force\fR option.
.SH "EXAMPLES"
Create a new bridge named br0 and add port eth0 to it:
.IP
projects / openvswitch / blobdiff