p4 key

Display, set, or delete a key/value pair.

Syntax

p4 [g-opts] key name
p4 [g-opts] key [-v] namevalue
p4 [g-opts] key [-d] name
p4 [g-opts] key [-i -v] name
p4 [g-opts] key [-m] [pair list]
p4 [g-opts] key --from oldvalue --to newvaluename

Description

Keys allow you to store name-value pairs for use in scripts. These user-managed keys are stored in a table named db.nameval.

The command includes the following variants:

The variant p4 key name returns the value of key name.
The variant p4 key namevalue sets the value of the key name to value, and if name does not already exist, it is created.

Specifying -v displays the previous value of the specified key after the key has been set or incremented.
The variant p4 key -d name deletes the specified key.
The variant p4 key -i name increments a numeric key.

Specifying -v displays the previous value of the specified key after the key has been set or incremented.
The variant p4 key [-m] pair list defines multiple set and delete operations to be performed. Each operation is defined by a value pair in the pair list. To set a key, use a name and value, to delete a key, use a - (hyphen) followed by the name. See Examples.

This variant is useful in distributed environments where running individual commands is likely to introduce unwanted latency.
The final variant (--from … --to) sets the specified key to the new value only if the current value of the key is oldvalue. A key that has never been set or that has been deleted cannot be set using this syntax variant.

If a key does not exist, its value is returned as zero; key names are not stored until set to a nonzero value.

To learn the minimal access level required to display and set keys, see Usage Notes and Examples.

Options

`-d name`	Delete key name from the Perforce service.
`-i name`	Increment key name by 1 and return the new value. This option can only be used with numeric keys.
`-m namevalue ...`	Perform multiple key value operations in one command. See Examples.
`g-opts`	See Global Options.

Usage Notes

Can File Arguments Use Revision Specifier?	Can File Arguments Use Revision Range?	Minimal Access Level Required
N/A	N/A	list to display a key’s value; (`admin` if `dm.keys.hide` is set to 2) `review` to set a new value

Examples

`p4 key mykey 12`	Set the value of `mykey` to `12`. If `mykey` does not exist, it is created. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key mykey`	Display the value of `mykey`. If `mykey` does not exist, its value is displayed as `0`. Requires `list` access.
`p4 key -m mykey 5 mynewkey 4`	Set two keys. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key -m - mykey - mynewkey`	Delete two keys. Requires `review` access.
`p4 key -m mykey 6 - mynewkey`	Set one key; delete one key. Requires `review` access.

Related Commands

To list all keys and their values

p4 keys