mongofiles

Synopsis

The mongofiles utility makes it possible to manipulate files stored in your MongoDB instance in GridFS objects from the command line. It is particularly useful as it provides an interface between objects stored in your file system and GridFS.

Run mongofiles from the system command line, not the mongo shell.

Compatibility

Installation

The mongofiles tool is part of the MongoDB Database Tools package:

➤ Follow the Database Tools Installation Guide to install mongofiles.

Syntax

The mongofiles command has the following form:

mongofiles <options> <connection-string> <command> <filename or _id>

Run mongofiles from the system command line, not the mongo shell.

The components of the mongofiles command are:

1. Options. You may use one or more of these options to control the behavior of mongofiles.

2. Connection String. The connection string of the mongod / mongos to connect to with mongofiles.

3. Command. Use one of these commands to determine the action of mongofiles.

4. An identifier which is either: the name of a file on your local file system, or a GridFS object.

Required Access

In order to connect to a mongod that enforces authorization with the --auth option, you must use the --username and --password options. The connecting user must possess, at a minimum:

• the read role for the accessed database when using the list, search or get commands,

• the readWrite role for the accessed database when using the put or delete commands.

Behavior

Options

--help

Returns information on the options and use of mongofiles.

--verbose, -v

Increases the amount of internal reporting returned on standard output or in log files. Increase the verbosity with the -v form by including the option multiple times, (e.g. -vvvvv.)

--quiet

Runs mongofiles in a quiet mode that attempts to limit the amount of output.

This option suppresses:

• output from database commands

• replication activity

• connection accepted events

• connection closed events

--version

Returns the mongofiles release number.

--config=<filename>

New in version 100.3.0.

Specifies the full path to a YAML configuration file containing sensitive values for the following options to mongofiles:

• --password

• --uri

• --sslPEMKeyPassword

This is the recommended way to specify a password to mongofiles, aside from specifying it through a password prompt.

The configuration file takes the following form:

password: <password>
uri: mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:27017
sslPEMKeyPassword: <password>

Specifying a password to the password: field and providing a connection string in the uri: field which contains a conflicting password will result in an error.

Be sure to secure this file with appropriate filesystem permissions.

Note

If you specify a configuration file with --config and also use the --password, --uri or --sslPEMKeyPassword option to mongofiles, each command line option overrides its corresponding option in the configuration file.

--uri=<connectionString>

Specifies the resolvable URI connection string of the MongoDB deployment, enclosed in quotes:

--uri="mongodb://[username:password@]host1[:port1][,host2[:port2],...[,hostN[:portN]]][/[database][?options]]"

Starting with version 100.0 of mongofiles, the connection string may alternatively be provided as a positional parameter, without using the --uri option:

mongofiles mongodb://[username:password@]host1[:port1][,host2[:port2],...[,hostN[:portN]]][/[database][?options]]

As a positional parameter, the connection string may be specified at any point on the command line, as long as it begins with either mongodb:// or mongodb+srv://. For example:

mongofiles --username joe --password secret1 mongodb://mongodb0.example.com:27017 --ssl

Only one connection string can be provided. Attempting to include more than one, whether using the --uri option or as a positional argument, will result in an error.

For information on the components of the connection string, see the Connection String URI Format documentation.

Note

Some components in the connection string may alternatively be specified using their own explicit command-line options, such as --username and --password. Providing a connection string while also using an explicit option and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

Note

If using mongofiles on Ubuntu 18.04, you may experience a cannot unmarshal DNS error message when using SRV connection strings (in the form mongodb+srv://) with the --uri option. If so, use one of the following options instead:

• the --uri option with a non-SRV connection string (in the form mongodb://)

• the --host option to specify the host to connect to directly

Warning

On some systems, a password provided in a connection string with the --uri option may be visible to system status programs such as ps that may be invoked by other users. Consider instead:

• omitting the password in the connection string to receive an interactive password prompt, or

• using the --config option to specify a configuration file containing the password.

--host=<hostname><:port>

Specifies a resolvable hostname for the mongod that holds your GridFS system. By default mongofiles attempts to connect to a MongoDB process running on the localhost port number 27017.

Optionally, specify a port number to connect a MongoDB instance running on a port other than 27017.

Alternatively, you can also specify the hostname directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --host and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

--port=<port>

Default: 27017

Specifies the TCP port on which the MongoDB instance listens for client connections.

Alternatively, you can also specify the port directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --port and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

--ssl

Enables connection to a mongod or mongos that has TLS/SSL support enabled.

Alternatively, you can also configure TLS/SSL support directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --ssl and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--sslCAFile=<filename>

Specifies the .pem file that contains the root certificate chain from the Certificate Authority. Specify the file name of the .pem file using relative or absolute paths.

Alternatively, you can also specify the .pem file directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --sslCAFile and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--sslPEMKeyFile=<filename>

Specifies the .pem file that contains both the TLS/SSL certificate and key. Specify the file name of the .pem file using relative or absolute paths.

This option is required when using the --ssl option to connect to a mongod or mongos that has CAFile enabled without allowConnectionsWithoutCertificates.

Alternatively, you can also specify the .pem file directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --sslPEMKeyFile and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--sslPEMKeyPassword=<value>

Specifies the password to de-crypt the certificate-key file (i.e. --sslPEMKeyFile). Use the --sslPEMKeyPassword option only if the certificate-key file is encrypted. In all cases, the mongofiles will redact the password from all logging and reporting output.

If the private key in the PEM file is encrypted and you do not specify the --sslPEMKeyPassword option, the mongofiles will prompt for a passphrase. See TLS/SSL Certificate Passphrase.

Alternatively, you can also specify the password directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --sslPEMKeyPassword and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

Warning

On some systems, a password provided directly using the --sslPEMKeyPassword option may be visible to system status programs such as ps that may be invoked by other users. Consider using the --config option to specify a configuration file containing the password instead.

--sslCRLFile=<filename>

Specifies the .pem file that contains the Certificate Revocation List. Specify the file name of the .pem file using relative or absolute paths.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--sslAllowInvalidCertificates

Bypasses the validation checks for server certificates and allows the use of invalid certificates. When using the allowInvalidCertificates setting, MongoDB logs as a warning the use of the invalid certificate.

Warning

Although available, avoid using the --sslAllowInvalidCertificates option if possible. If the use of --sslAllowInvalidCertificates is necessary, only use the option on systems where intrusion is not possible.

Connecting to a mongod or mongos instance without validating server certificates is a potential security risk. If you only need to disable the validation of the hostname in the TLS/SSL certificates, see --sslAllowInvalidHostnames.

Alternatively, you can also disable certificate validation directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --sslAllowInvalidCertificates and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--sslAllowInvalidHostnames

Disables the validation of the hostnames in TLS/SSL certificates. Allows mongofiles to connect to MongoDB instances even if the hostname in their certificates do not match the specified hostname.

Alternatively, you can also disable hostname validation directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --sslAllowInvalidHostnames and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

For more information about TLS/SSL and MongoDB, see Configure mongod and mongos for TLS/SSL and TLS/SSL Configuration for Clients.

--username=<username>, -u=<username>

Specifies a username with which to authenticate to a MongoDB database that uses authentication. Use in conjunction with the --password and --authenticationDatabase options.

Alternatively, you can also specify the username directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --username and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

If connecting to a MongoDB Atlas cluster using the MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanism, you can specify your AWS access key ID in:

• this field,

• the connection string, or

• the AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID environment variable.

See Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Cluster using AWS IAM Credentials for an example of each.

--password=<password>, -p=<password>

Specifies a password with which to authenticate to a MongoDB database that uses authentication. Use in conjunction with the --username and --authenticationDatabase options.

To prompt the user for the password, pass the --username option without --password or specify an empty string as the --password value, as in --password "" .

Alternatively, you can also specify the password directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --password and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

If connecting to a MongoDB Atlas cluster using the MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanism, you can specify your AWS secret access key in:

• this field,

• the connection string, or

• the AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY environment variable.

See Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Cluster using AWS IAM Credentials for an example of each.

Warning

On some systems, a password provided directly using the --password option may be visible to system status programs such as ps that may be invoked by other users. Consider instead:

• omitting the --password option to receive an interactive password prompt, or

• using the --config option to specify a configuration file containing the password.

--awsSessionToken=<AWS Session Token>

If connecting to a MongoDB Atlas cluster using the MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanism, and using session tokens in addition to your AWS access key ID and secret access key, you can specify your AWS session token in:

• this field,

• the AWS_SESSION_TOKEN authMechanismProperties parameter to the connection string, or

• the AWS_SESSION_TOKEN environment variable.

See Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Cluster using AWS IAM Credentials for an example of each.

Only valid when using the MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanism.

--authenticationDatabase=<dbname>

Specifies the authentication database where the specified --username has been created. See Authentication Database.

If using the GSSAPI (Kerberos), PLAIN (LDAP SASL), or MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanisms, you must set --authenticationDatabase to $external.

Alternatively, you can also specify the authentication database directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --authenticationDatabase and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

--authenticationMechanism=<name>

Default: SCRAM-SHA-1

Specifies the authentication mechanism the mongofiles instance uses to authenticate to the mongod or mongos.

Changed in version 100.1.0: Starting in version 100.1.0, mongofiles adds support for the MONGODB-AWS authentication mechanism when connecting to a MongoDB Atlas cluster.

Value	Description
SCRAM-SHA-1	RFC 5802 standard Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism using the SHA-1 hash function.
SCRAM-SHA-256	RFC 7677 standard Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism using the SHA-256 hash function. Requires featureCompatibilityVersion set to 4.0.
MONGODB-X509	MongoDB TLS/SSL certificate authentication.
MONGODB-AWS	External authentication using AWS IAM credentials for use in connecting to a MongoDB Atlas cluster. See Connect to a MongoDB Atlas Cluster using AWS IAM Credentials. New in version 100.1.0.
GSSAPI (Kerberos)	External authentication using Kerberos. This mechanism is available only in MongoDB Enterprise.
PLAIN (LDAP SASL)	External authentication using LDAP. You can also use PLAIN for authenticating in-database users. PLAIN transmits passwords in plain text. This mechanism is available only in MongoDB Enterprise.

Alternatively, you can also specify the authentication mechanism directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --authenticationMechanism and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

--gssapiServiceName=<serviceName>

Specify the name of the service using GSSAPI/Kerberos. Only required if the service does not use the default name of mongodb.

This option is available only in MongoDB Enterprise.

--gssapiHostName=<hostname>

Specify the hostname of a service using GSSAPI/Kerberos. Only required if the hostname of a machine does not match the hostname resolved by DNS.

This option is available only in MongoDB Enterprise.

--db=<database>, -d=<database>

Specifies the name of the database on which to run the mongofiles.

Alternatively, you can also specify the database directly in the URI connection string. Providing a connection string while also using --db and specifying conflicting information will result in an error.

--local=<filename>, -l=<filename>

Specifies the local filesystem name of a file for get and put operations.

In the mongofiles put and mongofiles get commands, the required <filename> modifier refers to the name the object will have in GridFS. mongofiles assumes that this reflects the file's name on the local file system. This setting overrides this default.

--type=<MIME>

Provides the ability to specify a MIME type to describe the file inserted into GridFS storage. mongofiles omits this option in the default operation.

Use only with mongofiles put operations.

--replace, -r

Alters the behavior of mongofiles put to replace existing GridFS objects with the specified local file, rather than adding an additional object with the same name.

In the default operation, files will not be overwritten by a mongofiles put option.

--prefix=<string>

Default: fs

GridFS prefix to use.

--writeConcern=<document>

Default: majority

Specifies the write concern for each write operation that mongofiles performs.

Specify the write concern as a document with w options:

--writeConcern="{w:'majority'}"

If the write concern is also included in the --uri connection string, the command-line --writeConcern overrides the write concern specified in the URI string.

--readPreference=<string|document>

Default: primary

Specifies the read preference for mongofiles. The --readPreference option can take:

• A string if specifying only the read preference mode:

  --readPreference=secondary

• A quote-enclosed document to specify the mode, the optional read preference tag sets, and the optional maxStalenessSeconds:

  --readPreference='{mode: "secondary", tagSets: [ { "region": "east" } ], maxStalenessSeconds: 120}'

  If specifying the maxStalenessSeconds, the value must be greater than or equal to 90.

mongofiles defaults to primary read preference.

If the read preference is also included in the --uri connection string, the command-line --readPreference overrides the read preference specified in the URI string.

Commands

list <prefix>

Lists the files in the GridFS store. The characters specified after list (e.g. <prefix>) optionally limit the list of returned items to files that begin with that string of characters.

search <string>

Lists the files in the GridFS store with names that match any portion of <string>.

put <filename1[ filename2] ...>

Copy the specified file or files from the local file system into GridFS storage. Multiple files can be specified as a space-separated list.

Each specified filename refers to the name the object will have in GridFS, and mongofiles assumes that this reflects the name the file has on the local file system. If the local filename is different, use the mongofiles --local option.

get <filename1[ filename2] ...>

Copy the specified file or files from GridFS storage to the local file system.

Each specified filename refers to the name the object has in GridFS, and mongofiles will use this filename when writing to the local file system.

If specifying only one filename to the get command, you can use the --local option to specify a different local filename to write to, if desired. The --local option cannot be used if specifying more than one filename to the get command.

Note

To copy files from GridFS storage that match a regular expression, use the get_regex command instead.

get_id "<_id>"

Copy the file, specified by its <_id>, from GridFS storage to the local file system. <_id> refers to the extended JSON _id of the object in GridFS. get_id can accept either ObjectId values or non-ObjectId values for <_id>.

mongofiles writes the file to the local file system using the file's filename in GridFS. To choose a different location for the file on the local file system, use the --local option.

get_regex <regex> --regexOptions <regex-options>

Copy the file or files, matched by the specified <regex> expression, from GridFS storage to the local file system. The get_regex command uses Perl compatible regular expressions ("PCRE") version 8.42 with UTF-8 support.

You may optionally specify one or more <regex-options> using the --regexOptions flag. These can be any of the options supported by the $regex operator, which include settings such as case-insensitivity. Multiple options should be provided together without separators, e.g. --regexOptions si

mongofiles writes the file or files to the local file system using each file's matched filename in GridFS. You cannot use the --local option with the get_regex command.

delete <filename>

Delete the specified file from GridFS storage.

delete_id "<_id>"

Delete the file, specified by its <_id>, from GridFS storage. delete_id can accept either ObjectId values or non-ObjectId values for <_id>.

Examples

Run mongofiles from the system command line, not the mongo shell.

To return a list of all files in a GridFS collection in the records database, use the following invocation at the system shell:

mongofiles -d=records list

This mongofiles instance will connect to the mongod instance running on the 27017 localhost interface to specify the same operation on a different port or hostname, and issue a command that resembles one of the following:

mongofiles --port=37017 -d=records list
mongofiles --host=db1.example.net -d=records list
mongofiles --host=db1.example.net --port=37017 -d=records list

Modify any of the following commands as needed if you're connecting the mongod instances on different ports or hosts.

To upload a file named 32-corinth.lp to the GridFS collection in the records database, you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records put 32-corinth.lp

To delete the 32-corinth.lp file from this GridFS collection in the records database, you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records delete 32-corinth.lp

To search for files in the GridFS collection in the records database that have the string corinth in their names, you can use following command:

mongofiles -d=records search corinth

To list all files in the GridFS collection in the records database with names that begin with the string 32, you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records list 32

To fetch the file from the GridFS collection in the records database named 32-corinth.lp, you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records get 32-corinth.lp

To fetch all files from the GridFS collection in the records database with names beginning with the string 32 and ending with the string .lp, you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records get_regex 32*.lp

To fetch the file from the GridFS collection in the records database with _id: ObjectId("56feac751f417d0357e7140f"), you can use the following command:

mongofiles -d=records get_id '{"$oid": "56feac751f417d0357e7140f"}'

You must include quotation marks around the _id.

mongofiles 'mongodb+srv://<aws access key id>:<aws secret access key>@cluster0.example.com/testdb?authSource=$external&authMechanism=MONGODB-AWS' <other options>

mongofiles 'mongodb+srv://<aws access key id>:<aws secret access key>@cluster0.example.com/testdb?authSource=$external&authMechanism=MONGODB-AWS&authMechanismProperties=AWS_SESSION_TOKEN:<aws session token>' <other options>

: / ? # [ ] @

mongofiles 'mongodb+srv://cluster0.example.com/testdb?authSource=$external&authMechanism=MONGODB-AWS' --username <aws access key id> --password <aws secret access key> --awsSessionToken <aws session token> <other options>

export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID='<aws access key id>'
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY='<aws secret access key>'
export AWS_SESSION_TOKEN='<aws session token>'

env | grep AWS

mongofiles 'mongodb+srv://cluster0.example.com/testdb?authSource=$external&authMechanism=MONGODB-AWS'  <other options>