Editing files with nano
Experimental includes GNU nano in the system root through org.gnu.nano.
Run nano path/to/file. Press Ctrl+O to write the buffer, Enter to
confirm its filename, and Ctrl+X to exit. Ctrl+G opens help.
Syntax definitions, translations and manuals are in org.gnu.nano-common.
The vendor /usr/etc/nanorc enables the bundled syntax definitions. Normal
nano user configuration and HOME/XDG_DATA_HOME conventions apply. rnano
is also supplied; its restricted editing mode does not grant additional
Peios authority.
Saving documents #
Saving an existing regular file writes into the existing object. Its owner, DACL, audit policy and integrity label remain unchanged. Hardlinks continue to refer to that object. A new document receives the destination's normal Peios security inheritance. Saving in place is not an atomic replacement and does not guarantee recovery from a storage failure during the write.
FACS decides whether saving is permitted. Unix mode bits and a numeric root UID do not grant access. Editing does not require permission to change the file's security descriptor; synchronizing a save requires the applicable handle synchronization right.
Backups, recovery and history #
Use nano --backup file to retain a backup, normally file~. Peios nano
creates backups, emergency .save files and formatter/speller scratch files
with a protected DACL granting access to the effective token's user SID.
Backups are private editor copies; they do not clone the original document's
sharing policy or ownership. Normal kernel integrity/audit rules still apply.
No file contents are written before the private security is established.
History is optional: --historylog records search/replace/command history;
--positionlog remembers cursor positions. Nano uses an existing suitable
~/.nano directory or its usual $XDG_DATA_HOME/nano / ~/.local/share/nano
location. Its state directory and files must have nano's private owner/DACL
policy. Peios nano checks the actual opened file before reading or truncating
it and refuses symbolic links, multiply linked files and incompatible policies.
It does not silently change the permissions of existing history. An unsafe
state directory or file produces an error and disables the affected history
operation; ordinary document editing remains available.
On a hangup or fatal error nano attempts an emergency save, subject to space,
namespace permissions and other normal failures. It reports the saved path
when successful. If private creation is unavailable, nano reports failure
rather than substituting Unix 0600 permissions. Its backup failure prompt
still lets you choose whether to save the original without a backup.
Optional advisory lock files retain nano's interoperable format and normal destination inheritance. They contain editing identity/path information, not buffer contents, and do not authorize access to the document.