Cedar Backup's primary command-line interface is the cback3 command. It controls the entire backup process.
The cback3 command has the following syntax:
 Usage: cback3 [switches] action(s)
 The following switches are accepted:
   -h, --help         Display this usage/help listing
   -V, --version      Display version information
   -b, --verbose      Print verbose output as well as logging to disk
   -q, --quiet        Run quietly (display no output to the screen)
   -c, --config       Path to config file (default: /etc/cback3.conf)
   -f, --full         Perform a full backup, regardless of configuration
   -M, --managed      Include managed clients when executing actions
   -N, --managed-only Include ONLY managed clients when executing actions
   -l, --logfile      Path to logfile (default: /var/log/cback3.log)
   -o, --owner        Logfile ownership, user:group (default: root:adm)
   -m, --mode         Octal logfile permissions mode (default: 640)
   -O, --output       Record some sub-command (i.e. cdrecord) output to the log
   -d, --debug        Write debugging information to the log (implies --output)
   -s, --stack        Dump a Python stack trace instead of swallowing exceptions
   -D, --diagnostics  Print runtime diagnostics to the screen and exit
 The following actions may be specified:
   all                Take all normal actions (collect, stage, store, purge)
   collect            Take the collect action
   stage              Take the stage action
   store              Take the store action
   purge              Take the purge action
   rebuild            Rebuild "this week's" disc if possible
   validate           Validate configuration only
   initialize         Initialize media for use with Cedar Backup
 You may also specify extended actions that have been defined in
 configuration.
 You must specify at least one action to take.  More than one of
 the "collect", "stage", "store" or "purge" actions and/or
 extended actions may be specified in any arbitrary order; they
 will be executed in a sensible order.  The "all", "rebuild",
 "validate", and "initialize" actions may not be combined with
 other actions.
         Note that the all action only executes the standard four actions. It never executes any of the configured extensions. [18]
-h, --helpDisplay usage/help listing.
-V, --versionDisplay version information.
-b, --verbosePrint verbose output to the screen as well writing to the logfile. When this option is enabled, most information that would normally be written to the logfile will also be written to the screen.
-q, --quietRun quietly (display no output to the screen).
-c, --config
                     Specify the path to an alternate configuration file.
                     The default configuration file is /etc/cback3.conf.
                  
-f, --fullPerform a full backup, regardless of configuration. For the collect action, this means that any existing information related to incremental backups will be ignored and rewritten; for the store action, this means that a new disc will be started.
-M, --managedInclude managed clients when executing actions. If the action being executed is listed as a managed action for a managed client, execute the action on that client after executing the action locally.
-N, --managed-onlyInclude only managed clients when executing actions. If the action being executed is listed as a managed action for a managed client, execute the action on that client — but do not execute the action locally.
-l, --logfile
                     Specify the path to an alternate logfile.  The default
                     logfile file is /var/log/cback3.log.
                  
-o, --owner
                    Specify the ownership of the logfile, in the form
                    user:group.  The default ownership is
                    root:adm, to match the Debian standard
                    for most logfiles. This value will only be used when
                    creating a new logfile.  If the logfile already exists when
                    the cback3 command is executed, it will
                    retain its existing ownership and mode. Only user and group
                    names may be used, not numeric uid and gid values.
                  
-m, --mode
                    Specify  the  permissions  for  the logfile, using the
                    numeric mode as in chmod(1).  The default mode is
                    0640 (-rw-r-----).
                    This value will only be used when creating a new logfile.
                    If the logfile already exists when the
                    cback3 command is executed, it will retain
                    its existing ownership and mode.
                  
-O, --outputRecord some sub-command output to the logfile. When this option is enabled, all output from system commands will be logged. This might be useful for debugging or just for reference.
-d, --debug
                     Write debugging information to the logfile.  This option
                     produces a high volume of output, and would generally only
                     be needed when debugging a problem.  This option implies
                     the --output option, as well.
                  
-s, --stackDump a Python stack trace instead of swallowing exceptions. This forces Cedar Backup to dump the entire Python stack trace associated with an error, rather than just propagating last message it received back up to the user interface. Under some circumstances, this is useful information to include along with a bug report.
-D, --diagnosticsDisplay runtime diagnostic information and then exit. This diagnostic information is often useful when filing a bug report.
            You can find more information about the various actions in the section called “The Backup Process” (in Chapter 2, Basic Concepts).
            In general, you may specify any combination of the
            collect, stage,
            store or purge actions, and
            the specified actions will be executed in a sensible order.  Or,
            you can specify one of the all,
            rebuild, validate, or
            initialize actions (but these actions may not be
            combined with other actions).
         
            If you have configured any Cedar Backup extensions, then the
            actions associated with those extensions may also be specified on
            the command line.  If you specify any other actions along with an
            extended action, the actions will be executed in a sensible order
            per configuration.  The all action never
            executes extended actions, however.
         
[18] Some users find this surprising, because extensions are configured with sequence numbers. I did it this way because I felt that running extensions as part of the all action would sometimes result in “surprising” behavior. Better to be definitive than confusing.