[ovs-dev] [PATCH 2/7] db-ctl-base: Make common database command code into library.

Alex Wang alexw at nicira.com
Fri Jun 12 02:36:57 UTC 2015


This commit extracts common database command (e.g. ovs-vsctl, vtep-ctl)
code into a new library module, db-ctl-base.  Specifically, the module
unifies the command syntax and common database-operating commands like
(get, list, find, set ...), and provides apis which allow user to create
more specific commands.

Signed-off-by: Alex Wang <alexw at nicira.com>
---
 lib/automake.mk       |    2 +
 lib/db-ctl-base.c     | 1683 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 lib/db-ctl-base.h     |  219 +++++
 tests/ovs-vsctl.at    |    2 +-
 utilities/ovs-vsctl.c | 2393 ++++++++-----------------------------------------
 5 files changed, 2291 insertions(+), 2008 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 lib/db-ctl-base.c
 create mode 100644 lib/db-ctl-base.h

diff --git a/lib/automake.mk b/lib/automake.mk
index 7a34c1a..cb1a689 100644
--- a/lib/automake.mk
+++ b/lib/automake.mk
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ lib_libopenvswitch_la_SOURCES = \
 	lib/daemon.c \
 	lib/daemon.h \
 	lib/daemon-private.h \
+	lib/db-ctl-base.c \
+	lib/db-ctl-base.h \
 	lib/dhcp.h \
 	lib/dummy.c \
 	lib/dummy.h \
diff --git a/lib/db-ctl-base.c b/lib/db-ctl-base.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f27d1bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/db-ctl-base.c
@@ -0,0 +1,1683 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2015 Nicira, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+
+#include <ctype.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include "db-ctl-base.h"
+
+#include "command-line.h"
+#include "compiler.h"
+#include "dirs.h"
+#include "dynamic-string.h"
+#include "fatal-signal.h"
+#include "hash.h"
+#include "json.h"
+#include "openvswitch/vlog.h"
+#include "ovsdb-data.h"
+#include "ovsdb-idl.h"
+#include "ovsdb-idl-provider.h"
+#include "shash.h"
+#include "string.h"
+#include "table.h"
+#include "util.h"
+
+VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(db_ctl_base);
+
+/* The IDL we're using and the current transaction, if any.
+ * This is for use by ctl_exit() only, to allow it to clean up.
+ * Other code should use its context arguments. */
+struct ovsdb_idl *the_idl;
+struct ovsdb_idl_txn *the_idl_txn;
+
+static struct shash all_commands = SHASH_INITIALIZER(&all_commands);
+
+
+static void
+die_if_error(char *error)
+{
+    if (error) {
+        ctl_fatal("%s", error);
+    }
+}
+
+static int
+to_lower_and_underscores(unsigned c)
+{
+    return c == '-' ? '_' : tolower(c);
+}
+
+static unsigned int
+score_partial_match(const char *name, const char *s)
+{
+    int score;
+
+    if (!strcmp(name, s)) {
+        return UINT_MAX;
+    }
+    for (score = 0; ; score++, name++, s++) {
+        if (to_lower_and_underscores(*name) != to_lower_and_underscores(*s)) {
+            break;
+        } else if (*name == '\0') {
+            return UINT_MAX - 1;
+        }
+    }
+    return *s == '\0' ? score : 0;
+}
+
+static struct ovsdb_symbol *
+create_symbol(struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab, const char *id, bool *newp)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol;
+
+    if (id[0] != '@') {
+        ctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" does not begin with \"@\"", id);
+    }
+
+    if (newp) {
+        *newp = ovsdb_symbol_table_get(symtab, id) == NULL;
+    }
+
+    symbol = ovsdb_symbol_table_insert(symtab, id);
+    if (symbol->created) {
+        ctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" may only be specified on one --id option",
+                  id);
+    }
+    symbol->created = true;
+    return symbol;
+}
+
+static const struct ovsdb_idl_row *
+get_row_by_id(struct ctl_context *ctx, const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+              const struct ctl_row_id *id, const char *record_id)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *referrer, *final;
+
+    if (!id->table) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (!id->name_column) {
+        if (strcmp(record_id, ".")) {
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        referrer = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, id->table);
+        if (!referrer || ovsdb_idl_next_row(referrer)) {
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    } else {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+
+        referrer = NULL;
+        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, id->table);
+             row != NULL;
+             row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row))
+            {
+                const struct ovsdb_datum *name;
+
+                name = ovsdb_idl_get(row, id->name_column,
+                                     OVSDB_TYPE_STRING, OVSDB_TYPE_VOID);
+                if (name->n == 1 && !strcmp(name->keys[0].string, record_id)) {
+                    if (referrer) {
+                        ctl_fatal("multiple rows in %s match \"%s\"",
+                                  table->class->name, record_id);
+                    }
+                    referrer = row;
+                }
+            }
+    }
+    if (!referrer) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    final = NULL;
+    if (id->uuid_column) {
+        const struct ovsdb_datum *uuid;
+
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(referrer, id->uuid_column);
+        uuid = ovsdb_idl_get(referrer, id->uuid_column,
+                             OVSDB_TYPE_UUID, OVSDB_TYPE_VOID);
+        if (uuid->n == 1) {
+            final = ovsdb_idl_get_row_for_uuid(ctx->idl, table->class,
+                                               &uuid->keys[0].uuid);
+        }
+    } else {
+        final = referrer;
+    }
+
+    return final;
+}
+
+static const struct ovsdb_idl_row *
+get_row(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+        const struct ctl_table_class *table, const char *record_id,
+        bool must_exist)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    struct uuid uuid;
+
+    row = NULL;
+    if (uuid_from_string(&uuid, record_id)) {
+        row = ovsdb_idl_get_row_for_uuid(ctx->idl, table->class, &uuid);
+    }
+    if (!row) {
+        int i;
+
+        for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(table->row_ids); i++) {
+            row = get_row_by_id(ctx, table, &table->row_ids[i], record_id);
+            if (row) {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if (must_exist && !row) {
+        ctl_fatal("no row \"%s\" in table %s",
+                  record_id, table->class->name);
+    }
+    return row;
+}
+
+static char *
+get_column(const struct ctl_table_class *table, const char *column_name,
+           const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *best_match = NULL;
+    unsigned int best_score = 0;
+    size_t i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < table->class->n_columns; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = &table->class->columns[i];
+        unsigned int score = score_partial_match(column->name, column_name);
+        if (score > best_score) {
+            best_match = column;
+            best_score = score;
+        } else if (score == best_score) {
+            best_match = NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
+    *columnp = best_match;
+    if (best_match) {
+        return NULL;
+    } else if (best_score) {
+        return xasprintf("%s contains more than one column whose name "
+                         "matches \"%s\"", table->class->name, column_name);
+    } else {
+        return xasprintf("%s does not contain a column whose name matches "
+                         "\"%s\"", table->class->name, column_name);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+pre_get_column(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+               const struct ctl_table_class *table, const char *column_name,
+               const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp)
+{
+    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, columnp));
+    ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, *columnp);
+}
+
+static const struct ctl_table_class *
+pre_get_table(struct ctl_context *ctx, const char *table_name)
+{
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table_class;
+    int i;
+
+    table_class = get_table(table_name);
+    ovsdb_idl_add_table(ctx->idl, table_class->class);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(table_class->row_ids); i++) {
+        const struct ctl_row_id *id = &table_class->row_ids[i];
+        if (id->table) {
+            ovsdb_idl_add_table(ctx->idl, id->table);
+        }
+        if (id->name_column) {
+            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, id->name_column);
+        }
+        if (id->uuid_column) {
+            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, id->uuid_column);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return table_class;
+}
+
+static char *
+missing_operator_error(const char *arg, const char **allowed_operators,
+                       size_t n_allowed)
+{
+    struct ds s;
+
+    ds_init(&s);
+    ds_put_format(&s, "%s: argument does not end in ", arg);
+    ds_put_format(&s, "\"%s\"", allowed_operators[0]);
+    if (n_allowed == 2) {
+        ds_put_format(&s, " or \"%s\"", allowed_operators[1]);
+    } else if (n_allowed > 2) {
+        size_t i;
+
+        for (i = 1; i < n_allowed - 1; i++) {
+            ds_put_format(&s, ", \"%s\"", allowed_operators[i]);
+        }
+        ds_put_format(&s, ", or \"%s\"", allowed_operators[i]);
+    }
+    ds_put_format(&s, " followed by a value.");
+
+    return ds_steal_cstr(&s);
+}
+
+/* Breaks 'arg' apart into a number of fields in the following order:
+ *
+ *      - The name of a column in 'table', stored into '*columnp'.  The column
+ *        name may be abbreviated.
+ *
+ *      - Optionally ':' followed by a key string.  The key is stored as a
+ *        malloc()'d string into '*keyp', or NULL if no key is present in
+ *        'arg'.
+ *
+ *      - If 'valuep' is nonnull, an operator followed by a value string.  The
+ *        allowed operators are the 'n_allowed' string in 'allowed_operators',
+ *        or just "=" if 'n_allowed' is 0.  If 'operatorp' is nonnull, then the
+ *        index of the operator within 'allowed_operators' is stored into
+ *        '*operatorp'.  The value is stored as a malloc()'d string into
+ *        '*valuep', or NULL if no value is present in 'arg'.
+ *
+ * On success, returns NULL.  On failure, returned a malloc()'d string error
+ * message and stores NULL into all of the nonnull output arguments. */
+static char * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
+parse_column_key_value(const char *arg,
+                       const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+                       const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp, char **keyp,
+                       int *operatorp,
+                       const char **allowed_operators, size_t n_allowed,
+                       char **valuep)
+{
+    const char *p = arg;
+    char *column_name;
+    char *error;
+
+    ovs_assert(!(operatorp && !valuep));
+    *keyp = NULL;
+    if (valuep) {
+        *valuep = NULL;
+    }
+
+    /* Parse column name. */
+    error = ovsdb_token_parse(&p, &column_name);
+    if (error) {
+        goto error;
+    }
+    if (column_name[0] == '\0') {
+        free(column_name);
+        error = xasprintf("%s: missing column name", arg);
+        goto error;
+    }
+    error = get_column(table, column_name, columnp);
+    free(column_name);
+    if (error) {
+        goto error;
+    }
+
+    /* Parse key string. */
+    if (*p == ':') {
+        p++;
+        error = ovsdb_token_parse(&p, keyp);
+        if (error) {
+            goto error;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /* Parse value string. */
+    if (valuep) {
+        size_t best_len;
+        size_t i;
+        int best;
+
+        if (!allowed_operators) {
+            static const char *equals = "=";
+            allowed_operators = &equals;
+            n_allowed = 1;
+        }
+
+        best = -1;
+        best_len = 0;
+        for (i = 0; i < n_allowed; i++) {
+            const char *op = allowed_operators[i];
+            size_t op_len = strlen(op);
+
+            if (op_len > best_len && !strncmp(op, p, op_len) && p[op_len]) {
+                best_len = op_len;
+                best = i;
+            }
+        }
+        if (best < 0) {
+            error = missing_operator_error(arg, allowed_operators, n_allowed);
+            goto error;
+        }
+
+        if (operatorp) {
+            *operatorp = best;
+        }
+        *valuep = xstrdup(p + best_len);
+    } else {
+        if (*p != '\0') {
+            error = xasprintf("%s: trailing garbage \"%s\" in argument",
+                              arg, p);
+            goto error;
+        }
+    }
+    return NULL;
+
+ error:
+    *columnp = NULL;
+    free(*keyp);
+    *keyp = NULL;
+    if (valuep) {
+        free(*valuep);
+        *valuep = NULL;
+        if (operatorp) {
+            *operatorp = -1;
+        }
+    }
+    return error;
+}
+
+static const struct ovsdb_idl_column *
+pre_parse_column_key_value(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+                           const char *arg,
+                           const struct ctl_table_class *table)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+    const char *p;
+    char *column_name;
+
+    p = arg;
+    die_if_error(ovsdb_token_parse(&p, &column_name));
+    if (column_name[0] == '\0') {
+        ctl_fatal("%s: missing column name", arg);
+    }
+
+    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
+    free(column_name);
+
+    return column;
+}
+
+static void
+check_mutable(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
+              const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column)
+{
+    if (!ovsdb_idl_is_mutable(row, column)) {
+        ctl_fatal("cannot modify read-only column %s in table %s",
+                  column->name, row->table->class->name);
+    }
+}
+
+#define RELOPS                                  \
+    RELOP(RELOP_EQ,     "=")                    \
+    RELOP(RELOP_NE,     "!=")                   \
+    RELOP(RELOP_LT,     "<")                    \
+    RELOP(RELOP_GT,     ">")                    \
+    RELOP(RELOP_LE,     "<=")                   \
+    RELOP(RELOP_GE,     ">=")                   \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_EQ, "{=}")                  \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_NE, "{!=}")                 \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_LT, "{<}")                  \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_GT, "{>}")                  \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_LE, "{<=}")                 \
+    RELOP(RELOP_SET_GE, "{>=}")
+
+enum relop {
+#define RELOP(ENUM, STRING) ENUM,
+    RELOPS
+#undef RELOP
+};
+
+static bool
+is_set_operator(enum relop op)
+{
+    return (op == RELOP_SET_EQ || op == RELOP_SET_NE ||
+            op == RELOP_SET_LT || op == RELOP_SET_GT ||
+            op == RELOP_SET_LE || op == RELOP_SET_GE);
+}
+
+static bool
+evaluate_relop(const struct ovsdb_datum *a, const struct ovsdb_datum *b,
+               const struct ovsdb_type *type, enum relop op)
+{
+    switch (op) {
+    case RELOP_EQ:
+    case RELOP_SET_EQ:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) == 0;
+    case RELOP_NE:
+    case RELOP_SET_NE:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) != 0;
+    case RELOP_LT:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) < 0;
+    case RELOP_GT:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) > 0;
+    case RELOP_LE:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) <= 0;
+    case RELOP_GE:
+        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) >= 0;
+
+    case RELOP_SET_LT:
+        return b->n > a->n && ovsdb_datum_includes_all(a, b, type);
+    case RELOP_SET_GT:
+        return a->n > b->n && ovsdb_datum_includes_all(b, a, type);
+    case RELOP_SET_LE:
+        return ovsdb_datum_includes_all(a, b, type);
+    case RELOP_SET_GE:
+        return ovsdb_datum_includes_all(b, a, type);
+
+    default:
+        OVS_NOT_REACHED();
+    }
+}
+
+static bool
+is_condition_satisfied(const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+                       const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row, const char *arg,
+                       struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
+{
+    static const char *operators[] = {
+#define RELOP(ENUM, STRING) STRING,
+        RELOPS
+#undef RELOP
+    };
+
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+    const struct ovsdb_datum *have_datum;
+    char *key_string, *value_string;
+    struct ovsdb_type type;
+    int operator;
+    bool retval;
+    char *error;
+
+    error = parse_column_key_value(arg, table, &column, &key_string,
+                                   &operator, operators, ARRAY_SIZE(operators),
+                                   &value_string);
+    die_if_error(error);
+    if (!value_string) {
+        ctl_fatal("%s: missing value", arg);
+    }
+
+    type = column->type;
+    type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
+
+    have_datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
+    if (key_string) {
+        union ovsdb_atom want_key;
+        struct ovsdb_datum b;
+        unsigned int idx;
+
+        if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+            ctl_fatal("cannot specify key to check for non-map column %s",
+                      column->name);
+        }
+
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&want_key, &column->type.key,
+                                            key_string, symtab));
+
+        type.key = type.value;
+        type.value.type = OVSDB_TYPE_VOID;
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&b, &type, value_string, symtab));
+
+        idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(have_datum,
+                                   &want_key, column->type.key.type);
+        if (idx == UINT_MAX && !is_set_operator(operator)) {
+            retval = false;
+        } else {
+            struct ovsdb_datum a;
+
+            if (idx != UINT_MAX) {
+                a.n = 1;
+                a.keys = &have_datum->values[idx];
+                a.values = NULL;
+            } else {
+                a.n = 0;
+                a.keys = NULL;
+                a.values = NULL;
+            }
+
+            retval = evaluate_relop(&a, &b, &type, operator);
+        }
+
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&want_key, column->type.key.type);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&b, &type);
+    } else {
+        struct ovsdb_datum want_datum;
+
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&want_datum, &column->type,
+                                             value_string, symtab));
+        retval = evaluate_relop(have_datum, &want_datum, &type, operator);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&want_datum, &column->type);
+    }
+
+    free(key_string);
+    free(value_string);
+
+    return retval;
+}
+
+static void
+invalidate_cache(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    if (ctx->invalidate_cache) {
+        (ctx->invalidate_cache)(ctx);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_get(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    /* Using "get" without --id or a column name could possibly make sense.
+     * Maybe, for example, a *ctl command run wants to assert that a row
+     * exists.  But it is unlikely that an interactive user would want to do
+     * that, so issue a warning if we're running on a terminal. */
+    if (!id && ctx->argc <= 3 && isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
+        VLOG_WARN("\"get\" command without row arguments or \"--id\" is "
+                  "possibly erroneous");
+    }
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        if (!strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "_uuid")
+            || !strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "-uuid")) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_get(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    struct ds *out = &ctx->output;
+    int i;
+
+    if (id && !must_exist) {
+        ctl_fatal("--if-exists and --id may not be specified together");
+    }
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (id) {
+        struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol;
+        bool new;
+
+        symbol = create_symbol(ctx->symtab, id, &new);
+        if (!new) {
+            ctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" specified on \"get\" command was used "
+                      "before it was defined", id);
+        }
+        symbol->uuid = row->uuid;
+
+        /* This symbol refers to a row that already exists, so disable warnings
+         * about it being unreferenced. */
+        symbol->strong_ref = true;
+    }
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+        const struct ovsdb_datum *datum;
+        char *key_string;
+
+        /* Special case for obtaining the UUID of a row.  We can't just do this
+         * through parse_column_key_value() below since it returns a "struct
+         * ovsdb_idl_column" and the UUID column doesn't have one. */
+        if (!strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "_uuid")
+            || !strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "-uuid")) {
+            ds_put_format(out, UUID_FMT"\n", UUID_ARGS(&row->uuid));
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        die_if_error(parse_column_key_value(ctx->argv[i], table,
+                                            &column, &key_string,
+                                            NULL, NULL, 0, NULL));
+
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
+        datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
+        if (key_string) {
+            union ovsdb_atom key;
+            unsigned int idx;
+
+            if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+                ctl_fatal("cannot specify key to get for non-map column %s",
+                          column->name);
+            }
+
+            die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&key,
+                                                &column->type.key,
+                                                key_string, ctx->symtab));
+
+            idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key,
+                                       column->type.key.type);
+            if (idx == UINT_MAX) {
+                if (must_exist) {
+                    ctl_fatal("no key \"%s\" in %s record \"%s\" column %s",
+                              key_string, table->class->name, record_id,
+                              column->name);
+                }
+            } else {
+                ovsdb_atom_to_string(&datum->values[idx],
+                                     column->type.value.type, out);
+            }
+            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&key, column->type.key.type);
+        } else {
+            ovsdb_datum_to_string(datum, &column->type, out);
+        }
+        ds_put_char(out, '\n');
+
+        free(key_string);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+parse_column_names(const char *column_names,
+                   const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+                   const struct ovsdb_idl_column ***columnsp,
+                   size_t *n_columnsp)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
+    size_t n_columns;
+
+    if (!column_names) {
+        size_t i;
+
+        n_columns = table->class->n_columns + 1;
+        columns = xmalloc(n_columns * sizeof *columns);
+        columns[0] = NULL;
+        for (i = 0; i < table->class->n_columns; i++) {
+            columns[i + 1] = &table->class->columns[i];
+        }
+    } else {
+        char *s = xstrdup(column_names);
+        size_t allocated_columns;
+        char *save_ptr = NULL;
+        char *column_name;
+
+        columns = NULL;
+        allocated_columns = n_columns = 0;
+        for (column_name = strtok_r(s, ", ", &save_ptr); column_name;
+             column_name = strtok_r(NULL, ", ", &save_ptr)) {
+            const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+
+            if (!strcasecmp(column_name, "_uuid")) {
+                column = NULL;
+            } else {
+                die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
+            }
+            if (n_columns >= allocated_columns) {
+                columns = x2nrealloc(columns, &allocated_columns,
+                                     sizeof *columns);
+            }
+            columns[n_columns++] = column;
+        }
+        free(s);
+
+        if (!n_columns) {
+            ctl_fatal("must specify at least one column name");
+        }
+    }
+    *columnsp = columns;
+    *n_columnsp = n_columns;
+}
+
+static void
+pre_list_columns(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+                 const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+                 const char *column_names)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
+    size_t n_columns;
+    size_t i;
+
+    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
+    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
+        if (columns[i]) {
+            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, columns[i]);
+        }
+    }
+    free(columns);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_list(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    pre_list_columns(ctx, table, column_names);
+}
+
+static struct table *
+list_make_table(const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns, size_t n_columns)
+{
+    struct table *out;
+    size_t i;
+
+    out = xmalloc(sizeof *out);
+    table_init(out);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = columns[i];
+        const char *column_name = column ? column->name : "_uuid";
+
+        table_add_column(out, "%s", column_name);
+    }
+
+    return out;
+}
+
+static void
+list_record(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
+            const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns, size_t n_columns,
+            struct table *out)
+{
+    size_t i;
+
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    table_add_row(out);
+    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = columns[i];
+        struct cell *cell = table_add_cell(out);
+
+        if (!column) {
+            struct ovsdb_datum datum;
+            union ovsdb_atom atom;
+
+            atom.uuid = row->uuid;
+
+            datum.keys = &atom;
+            datum.values = NULL;
+            datum.n = 1;
+
+            cell->json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(&datum, &ovsdb_type_uuid);
+            cell->type = &ovsdb_type_uuid;
+        } else {
+            const struct ovsdb_datum *datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
+
+            cell->json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(datum, &column->type);
+            cell->type = &column->type;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_list(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    struct table *out;
+    size_t n_columns;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
+    out = ctx->table = list_make_table(columns, n_columns);
+    if (ctx->argc > 2) {
+        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+            list_record(get_row(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], must_exist),
+                        columns, n_columns, out);
+        }
+    } else {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+
+        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class); row != NULL;
+             row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row)) {
+            list_record(row, columns, n_columns, out);
+        }
+    }
+    free(columns);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_find(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    pre_list_columns(ctx, table, column_names);
+    for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_find(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    struct table *out;
+    size_t n_columns;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
+    out = ctx->table = list_make_table(columns, n_columns);
+    for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class); row;
+         row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row)) {
+        int i;
+
+        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+            if (!is_condition_satisfied(table, row, ctx->argv[i],
+                                        ctx->symtab)) {
+                goto next_row;
+            }
+        }
+        list_record(row, columns, n_columns, out);
+
+    next_row: ;
+    }
+    free(columns);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_set(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_set(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const struct ctl_table_class*table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        set_column(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
+    }
+
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_add(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_add(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    const struct ovsdb_type *type;
+    struct ovsdb_datum old;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+    check_mutable(row, column);
+
+    type = &column->type;
+    ovsdb_datum_clone(&old, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column), &column->type);
+    for (i = 4; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        struct ovsdb_type add_type;
+        struct ovsdb_datum add;
+
+        add_type = *type;
+        add_type.n_min = 1;
+        add_type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&add, &add_type, ctx->argv[i],
+                                             ctx->symtab));
+        ovsdb_datum_union(&old, &add, type, false);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&add, type);
+    }
+    if (old.n > type->n_max) {
+        ctl_fatal("\"add\" operation would put %u %s in column %s of "
+                  "table %s but the maximum number is %u",
+                  old.n,
+                  type->value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID ? "values" : "pairs",
+                  column->name, table->class->name, type->n_max);
+    }
+    ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
+    ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &old);
+
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_remove(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_remove(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    const struct ovsdb_type *type;
+    struct ovsdb_datum old;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+    check_mutable(row, column);
+
+    type = &column->type;
+    ovsdb_datum_clone(&old, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column), &column->type);
+    for (i = 4; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        struct ovsdb_type rm_type;
+        struct ovsdb_datum rm;
+        char *error;
+
+        rm_type = *type;
+        rm_type.n_min = 1;
+        rm_type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
+        error = ovsdb_datum_from_string(&rm, &rm_type,
+                                        ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
+
+        if (error) {
+            if (ovsdb_type_is_map(&rm_type)) {
+                rm_type.value.type = OVSDB_TYPE_VOID;
+                free(error);
+                die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(
+                                                     &rm, &rm_type, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab));
+            } else {
+                ctl_fatal("%s", error);
+            }
+        }
+        ovsdb_datum_subtract(&old, type, &rm, &rm_type);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&rm, &rm_type);
+    }
+    if (old.n < type->n_min) {
+        ctl_fatal("\"remove\" operation would put %u %s in column %s of "
+                  "table %s but the minimum number is %u",
+                  old.n,
+                  type->value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID ? "values" : "pairs",
+                  column->name, table->class->name, type->n_min);
+    }
+    ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
+    ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &old);
+
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_clear(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+
+        pre_get_column(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], &column);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_clear(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
+    if (!row) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+        const struct ovsdb_type *type;
+        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
+
+        die_if_error(get_column(table, ctx->argv[i], &column));
+        check_mutable(row, column);
+
+        type = &column->type;
+        if (type->n_min > 0) {
+            ctl_fatal("\"clear\" operation cannot be applied to column %s "
+                      "of table %s, which is not allowed to be empty",
+                      column->name, table->class->name);
+        }
+
+        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&datum);
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
+    }
+
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_create(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+    if (!id && !table->class->is_root) {
+        VLOG_WARN("applying \"create\" command to table %s without --id "
+                  "option will have no effect", table->class->name);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_create(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table = get_table(table_name);
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    const struct uuid *uuid;
+    int i;
+
+    if (id) {
+        struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol = create_symbol(ctx->symtab, id, NULL);
+        if (table->class->is_root) {
+            /* This table is in the root set, meaning that rows created in it
+             * won't disappear even if they are unreferenced, so disable
+             * warnings about that by pretending that there is a reference. */
+            symbol->strong_ref = true;
+        }
+        uuid = &symbol->uuid;
+    } else {
+        uuid = NULL;
+    }
+
+    row = ovsdb_idl_txn_insert(ctx->txn, table->class, uuid);
+    for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        set_column(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
+    }
+    ds_put_format(&ctx->output, UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(&row->uuid));
+}
+
+/* This function may be used as the 'postprocess' function for commands that
+ * insert new rows into the database.  It expects that the command's 'run'
+ * function prints the UUID reported by ovsdb_idl_txn_insert() as the command's
+ * sole output.  It replaces that output by the row's permanent UUID assigned
+ * by the database server and appends a new-line.
+ *
+ * Currently we use this only for "create", because the higher-level commands
+ * are supposed to be independent of the actual structure of the vswitch
+ * configuration. */
+static void
+post_create(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const struct uuid *real;
+    struct uuid dummy;
+
+    if (!uuid_from_string(&dummy, ds_cstr(&ctx->output))) {
+        OVS_NOT_REACHED();
+    }
+    real = ovsdb_idl_txn_get_insert_uuid(ctx->txn, &dummy);
+    if (real) {
+        ds_clear(&ctx->output);
+        ds_put_format(&ctx->output, UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(real));
+    }
+    ds_put_char(&ctx->output, '\n');
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_destroy(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+
+    pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_destroy(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
+    bool delete_all = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--all");
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+
+    if (delete_all && ctx->argc > 2) {
+        ctl_fatal("--all and records argument should not be specified together");
+    }
+
+    if (delete_all && !must_exist) {
+        ctl_fatal("--all and --if-exists should not be specified together");
+    }
+
+    if (delete_all) {
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *next_row;
+
+        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class);
+             row;) {
+            next_row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row);
+            ovsdb_idl_txn_delete(row);
+            row = next_row;
+        }
+    } else {
+        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+            const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+
+            row = get_row(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], must_exist);
+            if (row) {
+                ovsdb_idl_txn_delete(row);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+static void
+pre_cmd_wait_until(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    int i;
+
+    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
+
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+cmd_wait_until(struct ctl_context *ctx)
+{
+    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
+    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
+    int i;
+
+    table = get_table(table_name);
+
+    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, false);
+    if (!row) {
+        ctx->try_again = true;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
+        if (!is_condition_satisfied(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab)) {
+            ctx->try_again = true;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/* Parses one command. */
+static void
+parse_command(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options,
+              struct ctl_command *command)
+{
+    const struct ctl_command_syntax *p;
+    struct shash_node *node;
+    int n_arg;
+    int i;
+
+    shash_init(&command->options);
+    shash_swap(local_options, &command->options);
+    for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
+        const char *option = argv[i];
+        const char *equals;
+        char *key, *value;
+
+        if (option[0] != '-') {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        equals = strchr(option, '=');
+        if (equals) {
+            key = xmemdup0(option, equals - option);
+            value = xstrdup(equals + 1);
+        } else {
+            key = xstrdup(option);
+            value = NULL;
+        }
+
+        if (shash_find(&command->options, key)) {
+            ctl_fatal("'%s' option specified multiple times", argv[i]);
+        }
+        shash_add_nocopy(&command->options, key, value);
+    }
+    if (i == argc) {
+        ctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
+    }
+
+    p = shash_find_data(&all_commands, argv[i]);
+    if (!p) {
+        ctl_fatal("unknown command '%s'; use --help for help", argv[i]);
+    }
+
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &command->options) {
+        const char *s = strstr(p->options, node->name);
+        int end = s ? s[strlen(node->name)] : EOF;
+
+        if (end != '=' && end != ',' && end != ' ' && end != '\0') {
+            ctl_fatal("'%s' command has no '%s' option",
+                      argv[i], node->name);
+        }
+        if ((end == '=') != (node->data != NULL)) {
+            if (end == '=') {
+                ctl_fatal("missing argument to '%s' option on '%s' "
+                          "command", node->name, argv[i]);
+            } else {
+                ctl_fatal("'%s' option on '%s' does not accept an "
+                          "argument", node->name, argv[i]);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    n_arg = argc - i - 1;
+    if (n_arg < p->min_args) {
+        ctl_fatal("'%s' command requires at least %d arguments",
+                  p->name, p->min_args);
+    } else if (n_arg > p->max_args) {
+        int j;
+
+        for (j = i + 1; j < argc; j++) {
+            if (argv[j][0] == '-') {
+                ctl_fatal("'%s' command takes at most %d arguments "
+                          "(note that options must precede command "
+                          "names and follow a \"--\" argument)",
+                          p->name, p->max_args);
+            }
+        }
+
+        ctl_fatal("'%s' command takes at most %d arguments",
+                  p->name, p->max_args);
+    }
+
+    command->syntax = p;
+    command->argc = n_arg + 1;
+    command->argv = &argv[i];
+}
+
+
+/* Parses command-line input for commands. */
+struct ctl_command *
+ctl_parse_commands(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options,
+                   size_t *n_commandsp)
+{
+    struct ctl_command *commands;
+    size_t n_commands, allocated_commands;
+    int i, start;
+
+    commands = NULL;
+    n_commands = allocated_commands = 0;
+
+    for (start = i = 0; i <= argc; i++) {
+        if (i == argc || !strcmp(argv[i], "--")) {
+            if (i > start) {
+                if (n_commands >= allocated_commands) {
+                    struct ctl_command *c;
+
+                    commands = x2nrealloc(commands, &allocated_commands,
+                                          sizeof *commands);
+                    for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
+                        shash_moved(&c->options);
+                    }
+                }
+                parse_command(i - start, &argv[start], local_options,
+                              &commands[n_commands++]);
+            } else if (!shash_is_empty(local_options)) {
+                ctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
+            }
+            start = i + 1;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!n_commands) {
+        ctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
+    }
+    *n_commandsp = n_commands;
+    return commands;
+}
+
+/* Returns true if it looks like this set of arguments might modify the
+ * database, otherwise false.  (Not very smart, so it's prone to false
+ * positives.) */
+bool
+ctl_might_write_to_db(char **argv)
+{
+    for (; *argv; argv++) {
+        const struct ctl_command_syntax *p = shash_find_data(&all_commands, *argv);
+        if (p && p->mode == RW) {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+void
+ctl_fatal(const char *format, ...)
+{
+    char *message;
+    va_list args;
+
+    va_start(args, format);
+    message = xvasprintf(format, args);
+    va_end(args);
+
+    vlog_set_levels(&VLM_db_ctl_base, VLF_CONSOLE, VLL_OFF);
+    VLOG_ERR("%s", message);
+    ovs_error(0, "%s", message);
+    ctl_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+}
+
+/* Frees the current transaction and the underlying IDL and then calls
+ * exit(status).
+ *
+ * Freeing the transaction and the IDL is not strictly necessary, but it makes
+ * for a clean memory leak report from valgrind in the normal case.  That makes
+ * it easier to notice real memory leaks. */
+void
+ctl_exit(int status)
+{
+    if (the_idl_txn) {
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_abort(the_idl_txn);
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_destroy(the_idl_txn);
+    }
+    ovsdb_idl_destroy(the_idl);
+    exit(status);
+}
+
+/* Comman database commands to be registered. */
+static const struct ctl_command_syntax db_ctl_commands[] = {
+    {"comment", 0, INT_MAX, "[ARG]...", NULL, NULL, NULL, "", RO},
+    {"get", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD [COLUMN[:KEY]]...",pre_cmd_get, cmd_get,
+     NULL, "--if-exists,--id=", RO},
+    {"list", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [RECORD]...", pre_cmd_list, cmd_list, NULL,
+     "--if-exists,--columns=", RO},
+    {"find", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE]...", pre_cmd_find,
+     cmd_find, NULL, "--columns=", RO},
+    {"set", 3, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE...", pre_cmd_set,
+     cmd_set, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
+    {"add", 4, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN [KEY=]VALUE...", pre_cmd_add,
+     cmd_add, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
+    {"remove", 4, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN KEY|VALUE|KEY=VALUE...",
+     pre_cmd_remove, cmd_remove, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
+    {"clear", 3, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN...", pre_cmd_clear, cmd_clear,
+     NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
+    {"create", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE...", pre_create,
+     cmd_create, post_create, "--id=", RW},
+    {"destroy", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [RECORD]...", pre_cmd_destroy, cmd_destroy,
+     NULL, "--if-exists,--all", RW},
+    {"wait-until", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD [COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE]...",
+     pre_cmd_wait_until, cmd_wait_until, NULL, "", RO},
+    {NULL, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, RO},
+};
+
+/* Registers commands represented by 'struct ctl_command_syntax's to
+ * 'all_commands'.  The last element of 'commands' must be an all-NULL
+ * element. */
+void
+ctl_register_commands(const struct ctl_command_syntax *commands)
+{
+    const struct ctl_command_syntax *p;
+
+    for (p = commands; p->name; p++) {
+        shash_add_assert(&all_commands, p->name, p);
+    }
+}
+
+/* Registers the 'db_ctl_commands' to 'all_commands'. */
+void
+ctl_init(void)
+{
+    ctl_register_commands(db_ctl_commands);
+}
+
+/* Returns 'all_commands'. */
+const struct shash *
+ctl_get_all_commands(void)
+{
+    return &all_commands;
+}
+
+/* Returns the text for the database commands usage.  */
+const char *
+ctl_get_db_cmd_usage(void)
+{
+    return "Database commands:\n\
+  list TBL [REC]              list RECord (or all records) in TBL\n\
+  find TBL CONDITION...       list records satisfying CONDITION in TBL\n\
+  get TBL REC COL[:KEY]       print values of COLumns in RECord in TBL\n\
+  set TBL REC COL[:KEY]=VALUE set COLumn values in RECord in TBL\n\
+  add TBL REC COL [KEY=]VALUE add (KEY=)VALUE to COLumn in RECord in TBL\n\
+  remove TBL REC COL [KEY=]VALUE  remove (KEY=)VALUE from COLumn\n\
+  clear TBL REC COL           clear values from COLumn in RECord in TBL\n\
+  create TBL COL[:KEY]=VALUE  create and initialize new record\n\
+  destroy TBL REC             delete RECord from TBL\n\
+  wait-until TBL REC [COL[:KEY]=VALUE]  wait until condition is true\n\
+Potentially unsafe database commands require --force option.\n";
+}
+
+/* Initializes 'ctx' from 'command'. */
+void
+ctl_context_init_command(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+                         struct ctl_command *command)
+{
+    ctx->argc = command->argc;
+    ctx->argv = command->argv;
+    ctx->options = command->options;
+
+    ds_swap(&ctx->output, &command->output);
+    ctx->table = command->table;
+    ctx->try_again = false;
+}
+
+/* Initializes the entire 'ctx'. */
+void
+ctl_context_init(struct ctl_context *ctx, struct ctl_command *command,
+                 struct ovsdb_idl *idl, struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn,
+                 struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab,
+                 void (*invalidate_cache)(struct ctl_context *))
+{
+    if (command) {
+        ctl_context_init_command(ctx, command);
+    }
+    ctx->idl = idl;
+    ctx->txn = txn;
+    ctx->symtab = symtab;
+    ctx->invalidate_cache = invalidate_cache;
+}
+
+/* Completes processing of 'command' within 'ctx'. */
+void
+ctl_context_done_command(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+                         struct ctl_command *command)
+{
+    ds_swap(&ctx->output, &command->output);
+    command->table = ctx->table;
+}
+
+/* Finishes up with 'ctx'.
+ *
+ * If command is nonnull, first calls ctl_context_done_command() to complete
+ * processing that command within 'ctx'. */
+void
+ctl_context_done(struct ctl_context *ctx,
+                 struct ctl_command *command)
+{
+    if (command) {
+        ctl_context_done_command(ctx, command);
+    }
+    invalidate_cache(ctx);
+}
+
+/* Finds and returns the "struct ctl_table_class *" with 'table_name' by
+ * searching the 'tables'. */
+const struct ctl_table_class *
+get_table(const char *table_name)
+{
+    const struct ctl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ctl_table_class *best_match = NULL;
+    unsigned int best_score = 0;
+
+    for (table = tables; table->class; table++) {
+        unsigned int score = score_partial_match(table->class->name,
+                                                 table_name);
+        if (score > best_score) {
+            best_match = table;
+            best_score = score;
+        } else if (score == best_score) {
+            best_match = NULL;
+        }
+    }
+    if (best_match) {
+        return best_match;
+    } else if (best_score) {
+        ctl_fatal("multiple table names match \"%s\"", table_name);
+    } else {
+        ctl_fatal("unknown table \"%s\"", table_name);
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+/* Sets the column of 'row' in 'table'. */
+void
+set_column(const struct ctl_table_class *table,
+           const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row, const char *arg,
+           struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
+    char *key_string, *value_string;
+    char *error;
+
+    error = parse_column_key_value(arg, table, &column, &key_string,
+                                   NULL, NULL, 0, &value_string);
+    die_if_error(error);
+    if (!value_string) {
+        ctl_fatal("%s: missing value", arg);
+    }
+    check_mutable(row, column);
+
+    if (key_string) {
+        union ovsdb_atom key, value;
+        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
+
+        if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+            ctl_fatal("cannot specify key to set for non-map column %s",
+                      column->name);
+        }
+
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&key, &column->type.key,
+                                            key_string, symtab));
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&value, &column->type.value,
+                                            value_string, symtab));
+
+        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&datum);
+        ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(&datum, &key, &value, &column->type);
+
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&key, column->type.key.type);
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&value, column->type.value.type);
+
+        ovsdb_datum_union(&datum, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column),
+                          &column->type, false);
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
+    } else {
+        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
+
+        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&datum, &column->type,
+                                             value_string, symtab));
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
+    }
+
+    free(key_string);
+    free(value_string);
+}
diff --git a/lib/db-ctl-base.h b/lib/db-ctl-base.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85b5e26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/db-ctl-base.h
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2015 Nicira, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#ifndef DB_CTL_BASE_H
+#define DB_CTL_BASE_H 1
+
+#include "compiler.h"
+#include "dynamic-string.h"
+#include "shash.h"
+
+struct ctl_context;
+struct option;
+struct ovsdb_idl;
+struct ovsdb_idl_row;
+struct ovsdb_idl_txn;
+struct ovsdb_symbol_table;
+struct table;
+
+/* This library module contains the common parts for ovsdb manipulation
+ * (structs, commands and functions).  To utilize this module, user must
+ * define the following:
+ *
+ * - the 'the_idl' and 'the_idl_txn'.
+ *
+ * - the command syntaxes for each command.  (See 'struct ctl_command_syntax'
+ *   for more info)  and regiters them using ctl_register_commands().
+ *
+ * - the *ctl command context by inheriting the 'struct ctl_context' for
+ *   additional commands implemented by user.  (See 'struct ctl_context' for
+ *   more info)
+ *
+ * - the 'tables[]' for each table in the schema.
+ *
+*/
+
+/* ctl_fatal() also logs the error, so it is preferred in this file. */
+#define ovs_fatal please_use_ctl_fatal_instead_of_ovs_fatal
+
+/* idl and idl transaction to be used for the *ctl command execution.
+ * User must provide them.  */
+extern struct ovsdb_idl *the_idl;
+extern struct ovsdb_idl_txn *the_idl_txn;
+
+void ctl_init(void);
+OVS_NO_RETURN void ctl_exit(int status);
+OVS_NO_RETURN void ctl_fatal(const char *, ...) OVS_PRINTF_FORMAT(1, 2);
+
+/* *clt command syntax structure, to be defined by each command implementation.
+ *
+ * Execution Path
+ * ==============
+ *
+ * Three stylized functions accompany each of these data structures:
+ *
+ *               "pre-run"         "run"        "post-run"
+ *            ---------------  ------------  -----------------
+ * *ctl       ->prerequisites     ->run        ->postprocess
+ *
+ * Any *clt command implementation should go through the following execution
+ * path:
+ *
+ *   1. parses user command-line input and finds the corresponding syntax
+ *      structures.
+ *
+ *   2. calls prerequisites() for getting the columns or tables used by each
+ *      command.
+ *
+ *   3. calls run() to execute each command and to generate output.
+ *
+ *   4. calls postprocess() after output has been committed.  (Only needed
+ *      by 'create' command sofar)
+ *
+ * Execution Context
+ * =================
+ *
+ * Each of the stylized functions requires the 'struct ctl_context' as input
+ * to provide context e.g. command-line arguments, table to be modified.  User
+ * may define more specific context (by inheriting 'struct ctl_context') and
+ * write stylized functions that use it.  In that case, CONTAINER_OF() can
+ * be used to cast the generic context to the specific one.
+ *
+ * */
+struct ctl_command_syntax {
+    const char *name;           /* e.g. "add-br" */
+    int min_args;               /* Min number of arguments following name. */
+    int max_args;               /* Max number of arguments following name. */
+
+    /* Names that roughly describe the arguments that the command
+     * uses.  These should be similar to the names displayed in the
+     * man page or in the help output. */
+    const char *arguments;
+
+    /* If nonnull, calls ovsdb_idl_add_column() or ovsdb_idl_add_table() for
+     * each column or table in ctx->idl that it uses. */
+    void (*prerequisites)(struct ctl_context *ctx);
+
+    /* Does the actual work of the command and puts the command's output, if
+     * any, in ctx->output or ctx->table.
+     *
+     * Alternatively, if some prerequisite of the command is not met and the
+     * caller should wait for something to change and then retry, it may set
+     * ctx->try_again to true.  (Only the "wait-until" command currently does
+     * this.) */
+    void (*run)(struct ctl_context *ctx);
+
+    /* If nonnull, called after the transaction has been successfully
+     * committed.  ctx->output is the output from the "run" function, which
+     * this function may modify and otherwise postprocess as needed.  (Only the
+     * "create" command currently does any postprocessing.) */
+    void (*postprocess)(struct ctl_context *ctx);
+
+    /* A comma-separated list of supported options, e.g. "--a,--b", or the
+     * empty string if the command does not support any options. */
+    const char *options;
+
+    enum { RO, RW } mode;       /* Does this command modify the database? */
+};
+
+/* A command extracted from command-line input plus the structs for
+ * output generation. */
+struct ctl_command {
+    /* Data that remains constant after initialization. */
+    const struct ctl_command_syntax *syntax;
+    int argc;
+    char **argv;
+    struct shash options;
+
+    /* Data modified by commands. */
+    struct ds output;
+    struct table *table;
+};
+
+bool ctl_might_write_to_db(char **argv);
+const char *ctl_get_db_cmd_usage(void);
+void ctl_register_commands(const struct ctl_command_syntax *);
+const struct shash *ctl_get_all_commands(void);
+struct ctl_command *ctl_parse_commands(int argc, char *argv[],
+                                       struct shash *local_options,
+                                       size_t *n_commandsp);
+
+/* The base context struct for conducting the common database
+ * operations (commands listed in 'db_ctl_commands').  User should
+ * define the per-schema context by inheriting this struct as base.
+ *
+ * Database Caches
+ * ===============
+ *
+ * User may implement caches for contents of the database to facilitate
+ * specific commands.  In that case, the common commands defined in
+ * 'db_ctl_commands' that may invalidate the cache must call the
+ * invalidate_cache().
+ *
+ **/
+struct ctl_context {
+    /* Read-only. */
+    int argc;
+    char **argv;
+    struct shash options;
+
+    /* Modifiable state. */
+    struct ds output;
+    struct table *table;
+    struct ovsdb_idl *idl;
+    struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn;
+    struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab;
+
+    /* For implementation with a cache of the contents of the database,
+     * this function will be called when the database is changed and the
+     * change makes the cache no longer valid. */
+    void (*invalidate_cache)(struct ctl_context *);
+
+    /* A command may set this member to true if some prerequisite is not met
+     * and the caller should wait for something to change and then retry. */
+    bool try_again;
+};
+
+void ctl_context_init_command(struct ctl_context *, struct ctl_command *);
+void ctl_context_init(struct ctl_context *, struct ctl_command *,
+                      struct ovsdb_idl *, struct ovsdb_idl_txn *,
+                      struct ovsdb_symbol_table *,
+                      void (*invalidate_cache)(struct ctl_context *));
+void ctl_context_done_command(struct ctl_context *, struct ctl_command *);
+void ctl_context_done(struct ctl_context *, struct ctl_command *);
+
+struct ctl_row_id {
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *table;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *name_column;
+    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *uuid_column;
+};
+
+struct ctl_table_class {
+    struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *class;
+    struct ctl_row_id row_ids[2];
+};
+
+/* Represents all tables in the schema.  User must define 'tables'
+ * in implementation.  And the definition must end with an all-NULL
+ * entry. */
+extern const struct ctl_table_class tables[];
+
+const struct ctl_table_class * get_table(const char *table_name);
+void set_column(const struct ctl_table_class *,
+                const struct ovsdb_idl_row *, const char *arg,
+                struct ovsdb_symbol_table *);
+
+#endif /* db-ctl-base.h */
diff --git a/tests/ovs-vsctl.at b/tests/ovs-vsctl.at
index 9625b32..08744a1 100644
--- a/tests/ovs-vsctl.at
+++ b/tests/ovs-vsctl.at
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ AT_CHECK(
   [ovs-vsctl -vPATTERN:console:'%c|%p|%m' --no-wait -vreconnect:emer --db=unix:socket \
      -- create Bridge name=br0 | ${PERL} $srcdir/uuidfilt.pl],
   [0], [<0>
-], [vsctl|WARN|applying "create" command to table Bridge without --id option will have no effect
+], [db_ctl_base|WARN|applying "create" command to table Bridge without --id option will have no effect
 ], [OVS_VSCTL_CLEANUP])
 AT_CHECK(
   [ovs-vsctl -vPATTERN:console:'%c|%p|%m' --no-wait -vreconnect:emer --db=unix:socket \
diff --git a/utilities/ovs-vsctl.c b/utilities/ovs-vsctl.c
index e800f6f..b114a5a 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-vsctl.c
+++ b/utilities/ovs-vsctl.c
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "db-ctl-base.h"
+
 #include "command-line.h"
 #include "compiler.h"
 #include "dirs.h"
@@ -52,60 +54,8 @@
 
 VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(vsctl);
 
-/* vsctl_fatal() also logs the error, so it is preferred in this file. */
-#define ovs_fatal please_use_vsctl_fatal_instead_of_ovs_fatal
-
 struct vsctl_context;
 
-/* A command supported by ovs-vsctl. */
-struct vsctl_command_syntax {
-    const char *name;           /* e.g. "add-br" */
-    int min_args;               /* Min number of arguments following name. */
-    int max_args;               /* Max number of arguments following name. */
-
-    /* Names that roughly describe the arguments that the command
-     * uses.  These should be similar to the names displayed in the
-     * man page or in the help output. */
-    const char *arguments;
-
-    /* If nonnull, calls ovsdb_idl_add_column() or ovsdb_idl_add_table() for
-     * each column or table in ctx->idl that it uses. */
-    void (*prerequisites)(struct vsctl_context *ctx);
-
-    /* Does the actual work of the command and puts the command's output, if
-     * any, in ctx->output or ctx->table.
-     *
-     * Alternatively, if some prerequisite of the command is not met and the
-     * caller should wait for something to change and then retry, it may set
-     * ctx->try_again to true.  (Only the "wait-until" command currently does
-     * this.) */
-    void (*run)(struct vsctl_context *ctx);
-
-    /* If nonnull, called after the transaction has been successfully
-     * committed.  ctx->output is the output from the "run" function, which
-     * this function may modify and otherwise postprocess as needed.  (Only the
-     * "create" command currently does any postprocessing.) */
-    void (*postprocess)(struct vsctl_context *ctx);
-
-    /* A comma-separated list of supported options, e.g. "--a,--b", or the
-     * empty string if the command does not support any options. */
-    const char *options;
-
-    enum { RO, RW } mode;       /* Does this command modify the database? */
-};
-
-struct vsctl_command {
-    /* Data that remains constant after initialization. */
-    const struct vsctl_command_syntax *syntax;
-    int argc;
-    char **argv;
-    struct shash options;
-
-    /* Data modified by commands. */
-    struct ds output;
-    struct table *table;
-};
-
 /* --db: The database server to contact. */
 static const char *db;
 
@@ -134,46 +84,18 @@ static bool retry;
 /* Format for table output. */
 static struct table_style table_style = TABLE_STYLE_DEFAULT;
 
-/* All supported commands. */
-static const struct vsctl_command_syntax *get_all_commands(void);
-
-/* The IDL we're using and the current transaction, if any.
- * This is for use by vsctl_exit() only, to allow it to clean up.
- * Other code should use its context arguments. */
-static struct ovsdb_idl *the_idl;
-static struct ovsdb_idl_txn *the_idl_txn;
-
-OVS_NO_RETURN static void vsctl_exit(int status);
-OVS_NO_RETURN static void vsctl_fatal(const char *, ...) OVS_PRINTF_FORMAT(1, 2);
+static void vsctl_cmd_init(void);
 static char *default_db(void);
 OVS_NO_RETURN static void usage(void);
 OVS_NO_RETURN static void print_vsctl_commands(void);
 OVS_NO_RETURN static void print_vsctl_options(const struct option *options);
 static void parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options);
-static bool might_write_to_db(char **argv);
-
-static struct vsctl_command *parse_commands(int argc, char *argv[],
-                                            struct shash *local_options,
-                                            size_t *n_commandsp);
-static void parse_command(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options,
-                          struct vsctl_command *);
-static const struct vsctl_command_syntax *find_command(const char *name);
-static void run_prerequisites(struct vsctl_command[], size_t n_commands,
+static void run_prerequisites(struct ctl_command[], size_t n_commands,
                               struct ovsdb_idl *);
-static void do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *, size_t n,
+static void do_vsctl(const char *args, struct ctl_command *, size_t n,
                      struct ovsdb_idl *);
 
-static const struct vsctl_table_class *get_table(const char *table_name);
-static void set_column(const struct vsctl_table_class *,
-                       const struct ovsdb_idl_row *, const char *arg,
-                       struct ovsdb_symbol_table *);
-
-static bool is_condition_satisfied(const struct vsctl_table_class *,
-                                   const struct ovsdb_idl_row *,
-                                   const char *arg,
-                                   struct ovsdb_symbol_table *);
-
-/* Post_db_reload_check frame work is to allow ovs-vsctl to do additional
+/* post_db_reload_check frame work is to allow ovs-vsctl to do additional
  * checks after OVSDB transactions are successfully recorded and reload by
  * ovs-vswitchd.
  *
@@ -206,7 +128,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     extern struct vlog_module VLM_reconnect;
     struct ovsdb_idl *idl;
-    struct vsctl_command *commands;
+    struct ctl_command *commands;
     struct shash local_options;
     unsigned int seqno;
     size_t n_commands;
@@ -218,15 +140,17 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     vlog_set_levels(&VLM_reconnect, VLF_ANY_DESTINATION, VLL_WARN);
     ovsrec_init();
 
+    vsctl_cmd_init();
+
     /* Log our arguments.  This is often valuable for debugging systems. */
     args = process_escape_args(argv);
-    VLOG(might_write_to_db(argv) ? VLL_INFO : VLL_DBG, "Called as %s", args);
+    VLOG(ctl_might_write_to_db(argv) ? VLL_INFO : VLL_DBG, "Called as %s", args);
 
     /* Parse command line. */
     shash_init(&local_options);
     parse_options(argc, argv, &local_options);
-    commands = parse_commands(argc - optind, argv + optind, &local_options,
-                              &n_commands);
+    commands = ctl_parse_commands(argc - optind, argv + optind, &local_options,
+                                  &n_commands);
 
     if (timeout) {
         time_alarm(timeout);
@@ -248,7 +172,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         ovsdb_idl_run(idl);
         if (!ovsdb_idl_is_alive(idl)) {
             int retval = ovsdb_idl_get_last_error(idl);
-            vsctl_fatal("%s: database connection failed (%s)",
+            ctl_fatal("%s: database connection failed (%s)",
                         db, ovs_retval_to_string(retval));
         }
 
@@ -326,7 +250,7 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options)
     const int n_global_long_options = ARRAY_SIZE(global_long_options) - 1;
     char *tmp, *short_options;
 
-    const struct vsctl_command_syntax *p;
+    const struct shash_node *node;
     struct option *options, *o;
     size_t allocated_options;
     size_t n_options;
@@ -343,7 +267,9 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options)
     options = xmemdup(global_long_options, sizeof global_long_options);
     allocated_options = ARRAY_SIZE(global_long_options);
     n_options = n_global_long_options;
-    for (p = get_all_commands(); p->name; p++) {
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, ctl_get_all_commands()) {
+        const struct ctl_command_syntax *p = node->data;
+
         if (p->options[0]) {
             char *save_ptr = NULL;
             char *name;
@@ -419,7 +345,7 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options)
 
         case OPT_LOCAL:
             if (shash_find(local_options, options[idx].name)) {
-                vsctl_fatal("'%s' option specified multiple times",
+                ctl_fatal("'%s' option specified multiple times",
                             options[idx].name);
             }
             shash_add_nocopy(local_options,
@@ -444,7 +370,7 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options)
         case 't':
             timeout = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
             if (timeout < 0) {
-                vsctl_fatal("value %s on -t or --timeout is invalid",
+                ctl_fatal("value %s on -t or --timeout is invalid",
                             optarg);
             }
             break;
@@ -481,182 +407,6 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options)
     free(options);
 }
 
-static struct vsctl_command *
-parse_commands(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options,
-               size_t *n_commandsp)
-{
-    struct vsctl_command *commands;
-    size_t n_commands, allocated_commands;
-    int i, start;
-
-    commands = NULL;
-    n_commands = allocated_commands = 0;
-
-    for (start = i = 0; i <= argc; i++) {
-        if (i == argc || !strcmp(argv[i], "--")) {
-            if (i > start) {
-                if (n_commands >= allocated_commands) {
-                    struct vsctl_command *c;
-
-                    commands = x2nrealloc(commands, &allocated_commands,
-                                          sizeof *commands);
-                    for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
-                        shash_moved(&c->options);
-                    }
-                }
-                parse_command(i - start, &argv[start], local_options,
-                              &commands[n_commands++]);
-            } else if (!shash_is_empty(local_options)) {
-                vsctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
-            }
-            start = i + 1;
-        }
-    }
-    if (!n_commands) {
-        vsctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
-    }
-    *n_commandsp = n_commands;
-    return commands;
-}
-
-static void
-parse_command(int argc, char *argv[], struct shash *local_options,
-              struct vsctl_command *command)
-{
-    const struct vsctl_command_syntax *p;
-    struct shash_node *node;
-    int n_arg;
-    int i;
-
-    shash_init(&command->options);
-    shash_swap(local_options, &command->options);
-    for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
-        const char *option = argv[i];
-        const char *equals;
-        char *key, *value;
-
-        if (option[0] != '-') {
-            break;
-        }
-
-        equals = strchr(option, '=');
-        if (equals) {
-            key = xmemdup0(option, equals - option);
-            value = xstrdup(equals + 1);
-        } else {
-            key = xstrdup(option);
-            value = NULL;
-        }
-
-        if (shash_find(&command->options, key)) {
-            vsctl_fatal("'%s' option specified multiple times", argv[i]);
-        }
-        shash_add_nocopy(&command->options, key, value);
-    }
-    if (i == argc) {
-        vsctl_fatal("missing command name (use --help for help)");
-    }
-
-    p = find_command(argv[i]);
-    if (!p) {
-        vsctl_fatal("unknown command '%s'; use --help for help", argv[i]);
-    }
-
-    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &command->options) {
-        const char *s = strstr(p->options, node->name);
-        int end = s ? s[strlen(node->name)] : EOF;
-
-        if (end != '=' && end != ',' && end != ' ' && end != '\0') {
-            vsctl_fatal("'%s' command has no '%s' option",
-                        argv[i], node->name);
-        }
-        if ((end == '=') != (node->data != NULL)) {
-            if (end == '=') {
-                vsctl_fatal("missing argument to '%s' option on '%s' "
-                            "command", node->name, argv[i]);
-            } else {
-                vsctl_fatal("'%s' option on '%s' does not accept an "
-                            "argument", node->name, argv[i]);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    n_arg = argc - i - 1;
-    if (n_arg < p->min_args) {
-        vsctl_fatal("'%s' command requires at least %d arguments",
-                    p->name, p->min_args);
-    } else if (n_arg > p->max_args) {
-        int j;
-
-        for (j = i + 1; j < argc; j++) {
-            if (argv[j][0] == '-') {
-                vsctl_fatal("'%s' command takes at most %d arguments "
-                            "(note that options must precede command "
-                            "names and follow a \"--\" argument)",
-                            p->name, p->max_args);
-            }
-        }
-
-        vsctl_fatal("'%s' command takes at most %d arguments",
-                    p->name, p->max_args);
-    }
-
-    command->syntax = p;
-    command->argc = n_arg + 1;
-    command->argv = &argv[i];
-}
-
-/* Returns the "struct vsctl_command_syntax" for a given command 'name', or a
- * null pointer if there is none. */
-static const struct vsctl_command_syntax *
-find_command(const char *name)
-{
-    static struct shash commands = SHASH_INITIALIZER(&commands);
-
-    if (shash_is_empty(&commands)) {
-        const struct vsctl_command_syntax *p;
-
-        for (p = get_all_commands(); p->name; p++) {
-            shash_add_assert(&commands, p->name, p);
-        }
-    }
-
-    return shash_find_data(&commands, name);
-}
-
-static void
-vsctl_fatal(const char *format, ...)
-{
-    char *message;
-    va_list args;
-
-    va_start(args, format);
-    message = xvasprintf(format, args);
-    va_end(args);
-
-    vlog_set_levels(&VLM_vsctl, VLF_CONSOLE, VLL_OFF);
-    VLOG_ERR("%s", message);
-    ovs_error(0, "%s", message);
-    vsctl_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-}
-
-/* Frees the current transaction and the underlying IDL and then calls
- * exit(status).
- *
- * Freeing the transaction and the IDL is not strictly necessary, but it makes
- * for a clean memory leak report from valgrind in the normal case.  That makes
- * it easier to notice real memory leaks. */
-static void
-vsctl_exit(int status)
-{
-    if (the_idl_txn) {
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_abort(the_idl_txn);
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_destroy(the_idl_txn);
-    }
-    ovsdb_idl_destroy(the_idl);
-    exit(status);
-}
-
 static void
 usage(void)
 {
@@ -719,18 +469,7 @@ Auto Attach commands:\n\
 Switch commands:\n\
   emer-reset                  reset switch to known good state\n\
 \n\
-Database commands:\n\
-  list TBL [REC]              list RECord (or all records) in TBL\n\
-  find TBL CONDITION...       list records satisfying CONDITION in TBL\n\
-  get TBL REC COL[:KEY]       print values of COLumns in RECord in TBL\n\
-  set TBL REC COL[:KEY]=VALUE set COLumn values in RECord in TBL\n\
-  add TBL REC COL [KEY=]VALUE add (KEY=)VALUE to COLumn in RECord in TBL\n\
-  remove TBL REC COL [KEY=]VALUE  remove (KEY=)VALUE from COLumn\n\
-  clear TBL REC COL           clear values from COLumn in RECord in TBL\n\
-  create TBL COL[:KEY]=VALUE  create and initialize new record\n\
-  destroy TBL REC             delete RECord from TBL\n\
-  wait-until TBL REC [COL[:KEY]=VALUE]  wait until condition is true\n\
-Potentially unsafe database commands require --force option.\n\
+%s\
 \n\
 Options:\n\
   --db=DATABASE               connect to DATABASE\n\
@@ -740,7 +479,7 @@ Options:\n\
   -t, --timeout=SECS          wait at most SECS seconds for ovs-vswitchd\n\
   --dry-run                   do not commit changes to database\n\
   --oneline                   print exactly one line of output per command\n",
-           program_name, program_name, default_db());
+           program_name, program_name, ctl_get_db_cmd_usage(), default_db());
     vlog_usage();
     printf("\
   --no-syslog             equivalent to --verbose=vsctl:syslog:warn\n");
@@ -764,7 +503,7 @@ Other options:\n\
  *
  */
 static void
-print_command_arguments(const struct vsctl_command_syntax *command)
+print_command_arguments(const struct ctl_command_syntax *command)
 {
     /*
      * The argument string is parsed in reverse.  We use a stack 'oew_stack' to
@@ -839,9 +578,10 @@ print_command_arguments(const struct vsctl_command_syntax *command)
 static void
 print_vsctl_commands(void)
 {
-    const struct vsctl_command_syntax *p;
+    const struct shash_node *node;
 
-    for (p = get_all_commands(); p->name; p++) {
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, ctl_get_all_commands()) {
+        const struct ctl_command_syntax *p = node->data;
         char *options = xstrdup(p->options);
         char *options_begin = options;
         char *item;
@@ -877,7 +617,6 @@ print_vsctl_options(const struct option *options)
     exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
-
 static char *
 default_db(void)
 {
@@ -888,33 +627,12 @@ default_db(void)
     return def;
 }
 
-/* Returns true if it looks like this set of arguments might modify the
- * database, otherwise false.  (Not very smart, so it's prone to false
- * positives.) */
-static bool
-might_write_to_db(char **argv)
-{
-    for (; *argv; argv++) {
-        const struct vsctl_command_syntax *p = find_command(*argv);
-        if (p && p->mode == RW) {
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-    return false;
-}
 
+/* ovs-vsctl specific context.  Inherits the 'struct ctl_context' as base. */
 struct vsctl_context {
-    /* Read-only. */
-    int argc;
-    char **argv;
-    struct shash options;
+    struct ctl_context base;
 
     /* Modifiable state. */
-    struct ds output;
-    struct table *table;
-    struct ovsdb_idl *idl;
-    struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn;
-    struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab;
     const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs;
     bool verified_ports;
 
@@ -929,10 +647,6 @@ struct vsctl_context {
     struct shash bridges;   /* Maps from bridge name to struct vsctl_bridge. */
     struct shash ports;     /* Maps from port name to struct vsctl_port. */
     struct shash ifaces;    /* Maps from port name to struct vsctl_iface. */
-
-    /* A command may set this member to true if some prerequisite is not met
-     * and the caller should wait for something to change and then retry. */
-    bool try_again;
 };
 
 struct vsctl_bridge {
@@ -963,11 +677,18 @@ struct vsctl_iface {
     struct vsctl_port *port;
 };
 
+/* Casts 'base' into 'strcut vsctl_context'. */
+static struct vsctl_context *
+vsctl_context_cast(struct ctl_context *base)
+{
+    return CONTAINER_OF(base, struct vsctl_context, base);
+}
+
 static struct vsctl_bridge *find_vlan_bridge(struct vsctl_bridge *parent,
                                              int vlan);
 
 static char *
-vsctl_context_to_string(const struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+vsctl_context_to_string(const struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     const struct shash_node *node;
     struct svec words;
@@ -991,26 +712,26 @@ vsctl_context_to_string(const struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-verify_ports(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+verify_ports(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx)
 {
-    if (!ctx->verified_ports) {
+    if (!vsctl_ctx->verified_ports) {
         const struct ovsrec_bridge *bridge;
         const struct ovsrec_port *port;
 
-        ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_bridges(ctx->ovs);
-        OVSREC_BRIDGE_FOR_EACH (bridge, ctx->idl) {
+        ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_bridges(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
+        OVSREC_BRIDGE_FOR_EACH (bridge, vsctl_ctx->base.idl) {
             ovsrec_bridge_verify_ports(bridge);
         }
-        OVSREC_PORT_FOR_EACH (port, ctx->idl) {
+        OVSREC_PORT_FOR_EACH (port, vsctl_ctx->base.idl) {
             ovsrec_port_verify_interfaces(port);
         }
 
-        ctx->verified_ports = true;
+        vsctl_ctx->verified_ports = true;
     }
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_bridge *
-add_bridge_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
+add_bridge_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
                     struct ovsrec_bridge *br_cfg, const char *name,
                     struct vsctl_bridge *parent, int vlan)
 {
@@ -1032,7 +753,7 @@ add_bridge_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
                         hash_int(vlan, 0));
         }
     }
-    shash_add(&ctx->bridges, br->name, br);
+    shash_add(&vsctl_ctx->bridges, br->name, br);
     return br;
 }
 
@@ -1054,7 +775,7 @@ ovs_delete_bridge(const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs,
 }
 
 static void
-del_cached_bridge(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *br)
+del_cached_bridge(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *br)
 {
     ovs_assert(list_is_empty(&br->ports));
     ovs_assert(hmap_is_empty(&br->children));
@@ -1063,9 +784,9 @@ del_cached_bridge(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *br)
     }
     if (br->br_cfg) {
         ovsrec_bridge_delete(br->br_cfg);
-        ovs_delete_bridge(ctx->ovs, br->br_cfg);
+        ovs_delete_bridge(vsctl_ctx->ovs, br->br_cfg);
     }
-    shash_find_and_delete(&ctx->bridges, br->name);
+    shash_find_and_delete(&vsctl_ctx->bridges, br->name);
     hmap_destroy(&br->children);
     free(br->name);
     free(br);
@@ -1095,7 +816,7 @@ find_vlan_bridge(struct vsctl_bridge *parent, int vlan)
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_port *
-add_port_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *parent,
+add_port_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *parent,
                   struct ovsrec_port *port_cfg)
 {
     struct vsctl_port *port;
@@ -1115,23 +836,23 @@ add_port_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *parent,
     list_init(&port->ifaces);
     port->port_cfg = port_cfg;
     port->bridge = parent;
-    shash_add(&ctx->ports, port_cfg->name, port);
+    shash_add(&vsctl_ctx->ports, port_cfg->name, port);
 
     return port;
 }
 
 static void
-del_cached_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_port *port)
+del_cached_port(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_port *port)
 {
     ovs_assert(list_is_empty(&port->ifaces));
     list_remove(&port->ports_node);
-    shash_find_and_delete(&ctx->ports, port->port_cfg->name);
+    shash_find_and_delete(&vsctl_ctx->ports, port->port_cfg->name);
     ovsrec_port_delete(port->port_cfg);
     free(port);
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_iface *
-add_iface_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_port *parent,
+add_iface_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_port *parent,
                    struct ovsrec_interface *iface_cfg)
 {
     struct vsctl_iface *iface;
@@ -1140,44 +861,45 @@ add_iface_to_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_port *parent,
     list_push_back(&parent->ifaces, &iface->ifaces_node);
     iface->iface_cfg = iface_cfg;
     iface->port = parent;
-    shash_add(&ctx->ifaces, iface_cfg->name, iface);
+    shash_add(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces, iface_cfg->name, iface);
 
     return iface;
 }
 
 static void
-del_cached_iface(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_iface *iface)
+del_cached_iface(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_iface *iface)
 {
     list_remove(&iface->ifaces_node);
-    shash_find_and_delete(&ctx->ifaces, iface->iface_cfg->name);
+    shash_find_and_delete(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces, iface->iface_cfg->name);
     ovsrec_interface_delete(iface->iface_cfg);
     free(iface);
 }
 
 static void
-vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct shash_node *node;
 
-    if (!ctx->cache_valid) {
+    if (!vsctl_ctx->cache_valid) {
         return;
     }
-    ctx->cache_valid = false;
+    vsctl_ctx->cache_valid = false;
 
-    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &ctx->bridges) {
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &vsctl_ctx->bridges) {
         struct vsctl_bridge *bridge = node->data;
         hmap_destroy(&bridge->children);
         free(bridge->name);
         free(bridge);
     }
-    shash_destroy(&ctx->bridges);
+    shash_destroy(&vsctl_ctx->bridges);
 
-    shash_destroy_free_data(&ctx->ports);
-    shash_destroy_free_data(&ctx->ifaces);
+    shash_destroy_free_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports);
+    shash_destroy_free_data(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces);
 }
 
 static void
-pre_get_info(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_get_info(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_bridges);
 
@@ -1197,20 +919,21 @@ pre_get_info(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
-    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = ctx->ovs;
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = vsctl_ctx->ovs;
     struct sset bridges, ports;
     size_t i;
 
-    if (ctx->cache_valid) {
+    if (vsctl_ctx->cache_valid) {
         /* Cache is already populated. */
         return;
     }
-    ctx->cache_valid = true;
-    shash_init(&ctx->bridges);
-    shash_init(&ctx->ports);
-    shash_init(&ctx->ifaces);
+    vsctl_ctx->cache_valid = true;
+    shash_init(&vsctl_ctx->bridges);
+    shash_init(&vsctl_ctx->ports);
+    shash_init(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces);
 
     sset_init(&bridges);
     sset_init(&ports);
@@ -1224,7 +947,7 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
                       br_cfg->name);
             continue;
         }
-        br = add_bridge_to_cache(ctx, br_cfg, br_cfg->name, NULL, 0);
+        br = add_bridge_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, br_cfg, br_cfg->name, NULL, 0);
         if (!br) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -1239,7 +962,7 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 
             if (port_is_fake_bridge(port_cfg)
                 && sset_add(&bridges, port_cfg->name)) {
-                add_bridge_to_cache(ctx, NULL, port_cfg->name, br,
+                add_bridge_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, NULL, port_cfg->name, br,
                                     *port_cfg->tag);
             }
         }
@@ -1256,13 +979,13 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         if (!sset_add(&bridges, br_cfg->name)) {
             continue;
         }
-        br = shash_find_data(&ctx->bridges, br_cfg->name);
+        br = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->bridges, br_cfg->name);
         for (j = 0; j < br_cfg->n_ports; j++) {
             struct ovsrec_port *port_cfg = br_cfg->ports[j];
             struct vsctl_port *port;
             size_t k;
 
-            port = shash_find_data(&ctx->ports, port_cfg->name);
+            port = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports, port_cfg->name);
             if (port) {
                 if (port_cfg == port->port_cfg) {
                     VLOG_WARN("%s: port is in multiple bridges (%s and %s)",
@@ -1282,12 +1005,12 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
                 continue;
             }
 
-            port = add_port_to_cache(ctx, br, port_cfg);
+            port = add_port_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, br, port_cfg);
             for (k = 0; k < port_cfg->n_interfaces; k++) {
                 struct ovsrec_interface *iface_cfg = port_cfg->interfaces[k];
                 struct vsctl_iface *iface;
 
-                iface = shash_find_data(&ctx->ifaces, iface_cfg->name);
+                iface = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces, iface_cfg->name);
                 if (iface) {
                     if (iface_cfg == iface->iface_cfg) {
                         VLOG_WARN("%s: interface is in multiple ports "
@@ -1305,7 +1028,7 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                add_iface_to_cache(ctx, port, iface_cfg);
+                add_iface_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, port, iface_cfg);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1313,28 +1036,28 @@ vsctl_context_populate_cache(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-check_conflicts(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name,
+check_conflicts(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, const char *name,
                 char *msg)
 {
     struct vsctl_iface *iface;
     struct vsctl_port *port;
 
-    verify_ports(ctx);
+    verify_ports(vsctl_ctx);
 
-    if (shash_find(&ctx->bridges, name)) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s because a bridge named %s already exists",
+    if (shash_find(&vsctl_ctx->bridges, name)) {
+        ctl_fatal("%s because a bridge named %s already exists",
                     msg, name);
     }
 
-    port = shash_find_data(&ctx->ports, name);
+    port = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports, name);
     if (port) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s because a port named %s already exists on "
+        ctl_fatal("%s because a port named %s already exists on "
                     "bridge %s", msg, name, port->bridge->name);
     }
 
-    iface = shash_find_data(&ctx->ifaces, name);
+    iface = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces, name);
     if (iface) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s because an interface named %s already exists "
+        ctl_fatal("%s because an interface named %s already exists "
                     "on bridge %s", msg, name, iface->port->bridge->name);
     }
 
@@ -1342,63 +1065,64 @@ check_conflicts(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name,
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_bridge *
-find_bridge(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
+find_bridge(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
 {
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
 
-    ovs_assert(ctx->cache_valid);
+    ovs_assert(vsctl_ctx->cache_valid);
 
-    br = shash_find_data(&ctx->bridges, name);
+    br = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->bridges, name);
     if (must_exist && !br) {
-        vsctl_fatal("no bridge named %s", name);
+        ctl_fatal("no bridge named %s", name);
     }
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_bridges(ctx->ovs);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_bridges(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
     return br;
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_bridge *
-find_real_bridge(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
+find_real_bridge(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
+                 const char *name, bool must_exist)
 {
-    struct vsctl_bridge *br = find_bridge(ctx, name, must_exist);
+    struct vsctl_bridge *br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, name, must_exist);
     if (br && br->parent) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s is a fake bridge", name);
+        ctl_fatal("%s is a fake bridge", name);
     }
     return br;
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_port *
-find_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
+find_port(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
 {
     struct vsctl_port *port;
 
-    ovs_assert(ctx->cache_valid);
+    ovs_assert(vsctl_ctx->cache_valid);
 
-    port = shash_find_data(&ctx->ports, name);
+    port = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports, name);
     if (port && !strcmp(name, port->bridge->name)) {
         port = NULL;
     }
     if (must_exist && !port) {
-        vsctl_fatal("no port named %s", name);
+        ctl_fatal("no port named %s", name);
     }
-    verify_ports(ctx);
+    verify_ports(vsctl_ctx);
     return port;
 }
 
 static struct vsctl_iface *
-find_iface(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
+find_iface(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, const char *name, bool must_exist)
 {
     struct vsctl_iface *iface;
 
-    ovs_assert(ctx->cache_valid);
+    ovs_assert(vsctl_ctx->cache_valid);
 
-    iface = shash_find_data(&ctx->ifaces, name);
+    iface = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ifaces, name);
     if (iface && !strcmp(name, iface->port->bridge->name)) {
         iface = NULL;
     }
     if (must_exist && !iface) {
-        vsctl_fatal("no interface named %s", name);
+        ctl_fatal("no interface named %s", name);
     }
-    verify_ports(ctx);
+    verify_ports(vsctl_ctx);
     return iface;
 }
 
@@ -1450,7 +1174,7 @@ ovs_insert_bridge(const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs,
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_init(struct vsctl_context *ctx OVS_UNUSED)
+cmd_init(struct ctl_context *ctx OVS_UNUSED)
 {
 }
 
@@ -1506,7 +1230,7 @@ static struct cmd_show_table cmd_show_tables[] = {
 };
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_show(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_show(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     struct cmd_show_table *show;
 
@@ -1559,7 +1283,7 @@ cmd_show_find_table_by_name(const char *name)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_show_row(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
+cmd_show_row(struct ctl_context *ctx, const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
              int level)
 {
     struct cmd_show_table *show = cmd_show_find_table_by_row(row);
@@ -1624,7 +1348,7 @@ cmd_show_row(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_show(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_show(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
 
@@ -1635,7 +1359,7 @@ cmd_show(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_emer_reset(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_emer_reset(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_manager_options);
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_ssl);
@@ -1658,8 +1382,9 @@ pre_cmd_emer_reset(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_emer_reset(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_emer_reset(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     const struct ovsdb_idl *idl = ctx->idl;
     const struct ovsrec_bridge *br;
     const struct ovsrec_port *port;
@@ -1674,8 +1399,8 @@ cmd_emer_reset(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
     const struct ovsrec_flow_sample_collector_set *fscset, *next_fscset;
 
     /* Reset the Open_vSwitch table. */
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_manager_options(ctx->ovs, NULL, 0);
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(ctx->ovs, NULL);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_manager_options(vsctl_ctx->ovs, NULL, 0);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs, NULL);
 
     OVSREC_BRIDGE_FOR_EACH (br, idl) {
         const char *hwaddr;
@@ -1747,8 +1472,9 @@ cmd_emer_reset(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_add_br(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     bool may_exist = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--may-exist") != NULL;
     const char *br_name, *parent_name;
     struct ovsrec_interface *iface;
@@ -1762,10 +1488,10 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         parent_name = ctx->argv[2];
         vlan = atoi(ctx->argv[3]);
         if (vlan < 0 || vlan > 4095) {
-            vsctl_fatal("%s: vlan must be between 0 and 4095", ctx->argv[0]);
+            ctl_fatal("%s: vlan must be between 0 and 4095", ctx->argv[0]);
         }
     } else {
-        vsctl_fatal("'%s' command takes exactly 1 or 3 arguments",
+        ctl_fatal("'%s' command takes exactly 1 or 3 arguments",
                     ctx->argv[0]);
     }
 
@@ -1773,26 +1499,26 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
     if (may_exist) {
         struct vsctl_bridge *br;
 
-        br = find_bridge(ctx, br_name, false);
+        br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, br_name, false);
         if (br) {
             if (!parent_name) {
                 if (br->parent) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s\" but %s is "
+                    ctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s\" but %s is "
                                 "a VLAN bridge for VLAN %d",
                                 br_name, br_name, br->vlan);
                 }
             } else {
                 if (!br->parent) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
+                    ctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
                                 "is not a VLAN bridge",
                                 br_name, parent_name, vlan, br_name);
                 } else if (strcmp(br->parent->name, parent_name)) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
+                    ctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
                                 "has the wrong parent %s",
                                 br_name, parent_name, vlan,
                                 br_name, br->parent->name);
                 } else if (br->vlan != vlan) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
+                    ctl_fatal("\"--may-exist add-br %s %s %d\" but %s "
                                 "is a VLAN bridge for the wrong VLAN %d",
                                 br_name, parent_name, vlan, br_name, br->vlan);
                 }
@@ -1800,7 +1526,7 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
             return;
         }
     }
-    check_conflicts(ctx, br_name,
+    check_conflicts(vsctl_ctx, br_name,
                     xasprintf("cannot create a bridge named %s", br_name));
 
     if (!parent_name) {
@@ -1819,7 +1545,7 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         ovsrec_bridge_set_name(br, br_name);
         ovsrec_bridge_set_ports(br, &port, 1);
 
-        ovs_insert_bridge(ctx->ovs, br);
+        ovs_insert_bridge(vsctl_ctx->ovs, br);
     } else {
         struct vsctl_bridge *conflict;
         struct vsctl_bridge *parent;
@@ -1827,16 +1553,16 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         struct ovsrec_bridge *br;
         int64_t tag = vlan;
 
-        parent = find_bridge(ctx, parent_name, false);
+        parent = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, parent_name, false);
         if (parent && parent->parent) {
-            vsctl_fatal("cannot create bridge with fake bridge as parent");
+            ctl_fatal("cannot create bridge with fake bridge as parent");
         }
         if (!parent) {
-            vsctl_fatal("parent bridge %s does not exist", parent_name);
+            ctl_fatal("parent bridge %s does not exist", parent_name);
         }
         conflict = find_vlan_bridge(parent, vlan);
         if (conflict) {
-            vsctl_fatal("bridge %s already has a child VLAN bridge %s "
+            ctl_fatal("bridge %s already has a child VLAN bridge %s "
                         "on VLAN %d", parent_name, conflict->name, vlan);
         }
         br = parent->br_cfg;
@@ -1859,7 +1585,7 @@ cmd_add_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-del_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_port *port)
+del_port(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_port *port)
 {
     struct vsctl_iface *iface, *next_iface;
 
@@ -1868,46 +1594,47 @@ del_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_port *port)
                         : port->bridge->br_cfg), port->port_cfg);
 
     LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (iface, next_iface, ifaces_node, &port->ifaces) {
-        del_cached_iface(ctx, iface);
+        del_cached_iface(vsctl_ctx, iface);
     }
-    del_cached_port(ctx, port);
+    del_cached_port(vsctl_ctx, port);
 }
 
 static void
-del_bridge(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *br)
+del_bridge(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, struct vsctl_bridge *br)
 {
     struct vsctl_bridge *child, *next_child;
     struct vsctl_port *port, *next_port;
     const struct ovsrec_flow_sample_collector_set *fscset, *next_fscset;
 
     HMAP_FOR_EACH_SAFE (child, next_child, children_node, &br->children) {
-        del_bridge(ctx, child);
+        del_bridge(vsctl_ctx, child);
     }
 
     LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (port, next_port, ports_node, &br->ports) {
-        del_port(ctx, port);
+        del_port(vsctl_ctx, port);
     }
 
     OVSREC_FLOW_SAMPLE_COLLECTOR_SET_FOR_EACH_SAFE (fscset, next_fscset,
-                                                    ctx->idl) {
+                                                    vsctl_ctx->base.idl) {
         if (fscset->bridge == br->br_cfg) {
             ovsrec_flow_sample_collector_set_delete(fscset);
         }
     }
 
-    del_cached_bridge(ctx, br);
+    del_cached_bridge(vsctl_ctx, br);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_br(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], must_exist);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], must_exist);
     if (bridge) {
-        del_bridge(ctx, bridge);
+        del_bridge(vsctl_ctx, bridge);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1924,8 +1651,9 @@ output_sorted(struct svec *svec, struct ds *output)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_list_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_list_br(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct shash_node *node;
     struct svec bridges;
     bool real = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--real");
@@ -1939,7 +1667,7 @@ cmd_list_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
     svec_init(&bridges);
-    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &ctx->bridges) {
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &vsctl_ctx->bridges) {
         struct vsctl_bridge *br = node->data;
 
         if (br->parent ? fake : real) {
@@ -1951,11 +1679,13 @@ cmd_list_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_br_exists(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_br_exists(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    if (!find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], false)) {
-        vsctl_exit(2);
+    if (!find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], false)) {
+        ctl_exit(2);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1973,7 +1703,7 @@ set_external_id(struct smap *old, struct smap *new,
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_br_set_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_br_set_external_id(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     pre_get_info(ctx);
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_bridge_col_external_ids);
@@ -1981,13 +1711,14 @@ pre_cmd_br_set_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_br_set_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_br_set_external_id(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
     struct smap new;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (bridge->br_cfg) {
 
         set_external_id(&bridge->br_cfg->external_ids, &new, ctx->argv[2],
@@ -1996,7 +1727,8 @@ cmd_br_set_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         ovsrec_bridge_set_external_ids(bridge->br_cfg, &new);
     } else {
         char *key = xasprintf("fake-bridge-%s", ctx->argv[2]);
-        struct vsctl_port *port = shash_find_data(&ctx->ports, ctx->argv[1]);
+        struct vsctl_port *port = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports,
+                                                  ctx->argv[1]);
         set_external_id(&port->port_cfg->external_ids, &new,
                         key, ctx->argc >= 4 ? ctx->argv[3] : NULL);
         ovsrec_port_verify_external_ids(port->port_cfg);
@@ -2035,25 +1767,27 @@ get_external_id(struct smap *smap, const char *prefix, const char *key,
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_br_get_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_br_get_external_id(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     pre_cmd_br_set_external_id(ctx);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_br_get_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_br_get_external_id(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (bridge->br_cfg) {
         ovsrec_bridge_verify_external_ids(bridge->br_cfg);
         get_external_id(&bridge->br_cfg->external_ids, "",
                         ctx->argc >= 3 ? ctx->argv[2] : NULL, &ctx->output);
     } else {
-        struct vsctl_port *port = shash_find_data(&ctx->ports, ctx->argv[1]);
+        struct vsctl_port *port = shash_find_data(&vsctl_ctx->ports,
+                                                  ctx->argv[1]);
         ovsrec_port_verify_external_ids(port->port_cfg);
         get_external_id(&port->port_cfg->external_ids, "fake-bridge-",
                         ctx->argc >= 3 ? ctx->argv[2] : NULL, &ctx->output);
@@ -2061,14 +1795,15 @@ cmd_br_get_external_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_list_ports(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_list_ports(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     struct vsctl_port *port;
     struct svec ports;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     ovsrec_bridge_verify_ports(br->br_cfg ? br->br_cfg : br->parent->br_cfg);
 
     svec_init(&ports);
@@ -2082,12 +1817,13 @@ cmd_list_ports(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
+add_port(struct ctl_context *ctx,
          const char *br_name, const char *port_name,
          bool may_exist, bool fake_iface,
          char *iface_names[], int n_ifaces,
          char *settings[], int n_settings)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_port *vsctl_port;
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
     struct ovsrec_interface **ifaces;
@@ -2098,7 +1834,7 @@ add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
     if (may_exist) {
         struct vsctl_port *vsctl_port;
 
-        vsctl_port = find_port(ctx, port_name, false);
+        vsctl_port = find_port(vsctl_ctx, port_name, false);
         if (vsctl_port) {
             struct svec want_names, have_names;
 
@@ -2117,7 +1853,7 @@ add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
 
             if (strcmp(vsctl_port->bridge->name, br_name)) {
                 char *command = vsctl_context_to_string(ctx);
-                vsctl_fatal("\"%s\" but %s is actually attached to bridge %s",
+                ctl_fatal("\"%s\" but %s is actually attached to bridge %s",
                             command, port_name, vsctl_port->bridge->name);
             }
 
@@ -2125,7 +1861,7 @@ add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
                 char *have_names_string = svec_join(&have_names, ", ", "");
                 char *command = vsctl_context_to_string(ctx);
 
-                vsctl_fatal("\"%s\" but %s actually has interface(s) %s",
+                ctl_fatal("\"%s\" but %s actually has interface(s) %s",
                             command, port_name, have_names_string);
             }
 
@@ -2135,14 +1871,14 @@ add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
             return;
         }
     }
-    check_conflicts(ctx, port_name,
+    check_conflicts(vsctl_ctx, port_name,
                     xasprintf("cannot create a port named %s", port_name));
     for (i = 0; i < n_ifaces; i++) {
-        check_conflicts(ctx, iface_names[i],
+        check_conflicts(vsctl_ctx, iface_names[i],
                         xasprintf("cannot create an interface named %s",
                                   iface_names[i]));
     }
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, br_name, true);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, br_name, true);
 
     ifaces = xmalloc(n_ifaces * sizeof *ifaces);
     for (i = 0; i < n_ifaces; i++) {
@@ -2169,15 +1905,15 @@ add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
     bridge_insert_port((bridge->parent ? bridge->parent->br_cfg
                         : bridge->br_cfg), port);
 
-    vsctl_port = add_port_to_cache(ctx, bridge, port);
+    vsctl_port = add_port_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, bridge, port);
     for (i = 0; i < n_ifaces; i++) {
-        add_iface_to_cache(ctx, vsctl_port, ifaces[i]);
+        add_iface_to_cache(vsctl_ctx, vsctl_port, ifaces[i]);
     }
     free(ifaces);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_add_port(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     bool may_exist = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--may-exist") != NULL;
 
@@ -2186,7 +1922,7 @@ cmd_add_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_add_bond(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_add_bond(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     bool may_exist = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--may-exist") != NULL;
     bool fake_iface = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--fake-iface");
@@ -2201,7 +1937,7 @@ cmd_add_bond(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         }
     }
     if (n_ifaces < 2) {
-        vsctl_fatal("add-bond requires at least 2 interfaces, but only "
+        ctl_fatal("add-bond requires at least 2 interfaces, but only "
                     "%d were specified", n_ifaces);
     }
 
@@ -2211,35 +1947,36 @@ cmd_add_bond(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_port(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
     bool with_iface = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--with-iface") != NULL;
     const char *target = ctx->argv[ctx->argc - 1];
     struct vsctl_port *port;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    if (find_bridge(ctx, target, false)) {
+    if (find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, target, false)) {
         if (must_exist) {
-            vsctl_fatal("cannot delete port %s because it is the local port "
+            ctl_fatal("cannot delete port %s because it is the local port "
                         "for bridge %s (deleting this port requires deleting "
                         "the entire bridge)", target, target);
         }
         port = NULL;
     } else if (!with_iface) {
-        port = find_port(ctx, target, must_exist);
+        port = find_port(vsctl_ctx, target, must_exist);
     } else {
         struct vsctl_iface *iface;
 
-        port = find_port(ctx, target, false);
+        port = find_port(vsctl_ctx, target, false);
         if (!port) {
-            iface = find_iface(ctx, target, false);
+            iface = find_iface(vsctl_ctx, target, false);
             if (iface) {
                 port = iface->port;
             }
         }
         if (must_exist && !port) {
-            vsctl_fatal("no port or interface named %s", target);
+            ctl_fatal("no port or interface named %s", target);
         }
     }
 
@@ -2247,54 +1984,57 @@ cmd_del_port(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
         if (ctx->argc == 3) {
             struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
 
-            bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+            bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
             if (port->bridge != bridge) {
                 if (port->bridge->parent == bridge) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("bridge %s does not have a port %s (although "
+                    ctl_fatal("bridge %s does not have a port %s (although "
                                 "its parent bridge %s does)",
                                 ctx->argv[1], ctx->argv[2],
                                 bridge->parent->name);
                 } else {
-                    vsctl_fatal("bridge %s does not have a port %s",
+                    ctl_fatal("bridge %s does not have a port %s",
                                 ctx->argv[1], ctx->argv[2]);
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        del_port(ctx, port);
+        del_port(vsctl_ctx, port);
     }
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_port_to_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_port_to_br(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_port *port;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    port = find_port(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    port = find_port(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     ds_put_format(&ctx->output, "%s\n", port->bridge->name);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_br_to_vlan(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_br_to_vlan(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     ds_put_format(&ctx->output, "%d\n", bridge->vlan);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_br_to_parent(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_br_to_parent(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *bridge;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    bridge = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    bridge = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (bridge->parent) {
         bridge = bridge->parent;
     }
@@ -2302,16 +2042,17 @@ cmd_br_to_parent(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_list_ifaces(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_list_ifaces(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     struct vsctl_port *port;
     struct svec ifaces;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
-    verify_ports(ctx);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    verify_ports(vsctl_ctx);
 
     svec_init(&ifaces);
     LIST_FOR_EACH (port, ports_node, &br->ports) {
@@ -2328,13 +2069,14 @@ cmd_list_ifaces(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_iface_to_br(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_iface_to_br(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_iface *iface;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    iface = find_iface(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    iface = find_iface(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     ds_put_format(&ctx->output, "%s\n", iface->port->bridge->name);
 }
 
@@ -2350,7 +2092,7 @@ verify_controllers(struct ovsrec_bridge *bridge)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_controller(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     pre_get_info(ctx);
 
@@ -2358,15 +2100,16 @@ pre_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_get_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_get_controller(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     struct svec targets;
     size_t i;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (br->parent) {
         br = br->parent;
     }
@@ -2397,13 +2140,14 @@ delete_controllers(struct ovsrec_controller **controllers,
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_controller(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct ovsrec_bridge *br;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_real_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true)->br_cfg;
+    br = find_real_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true)->br_cfg;
     verify_controllers(br);
 
     if (br->controller) {
@@ -2431,15 +2175,16 @@ insert_controllers(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn, char *targets[], size_t n)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_set_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_set_controller(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct ovsrec_controller **controllers;
     struct ovsrec_bridge *br;
     size_t n;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_real_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true)->br_cfg;
+    br = find_real_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true)->br_cfg;
     verify_controllers(br);
 
     delete_controllers(br->controller, br->n_controller);
@@ -2451,13 +2196,14 @@ cmd_set_controller(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_get_fail_mode(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_get_fail_mode(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     const char *fail_mode;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
 
     if (br->parent) {
         br = br->parent;
@@ -2471,29 +2217,31 @@ cmd_get_fail_mode(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_fail_mode(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_fail_mode(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_real_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_real_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
 
     ovsrec_bridge_set_fail_mode(br->br_cfg, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_set_fail_mode(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_set_fail_mode(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     const char *fail_mode = ctx->argv[2];
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_real_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_real_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
 
     if (strcmp(fail_mode, "standalone") && strcmp(fail_mode, "secure")) {
-        vsctl_fatal("fail-mode must be \"standalone\" or \"secure\"");
+        ctl_fatal("fail-mode must be \"standalone\" or \"secure\"");
     }
 
     ovsrec_bridge_set_fail_mode(br->br_cfg, fail_mode);
@@ -2514,16 +2262,17 @@ verify_managers(const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_manager(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_manager(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_manager_options);
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_manager_col_target);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_get_manager(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_get_manager(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
-    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = ctx->ovs;
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = vsctl_ctx->ovs;
     struct svec targets;
     size_t i;
 
@@ -2558,16 +2307,17 @@ delete_managers(const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_manager(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_manager(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
-    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = ctx->ovs;
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs = vsctl_ctx->ovs;
 
     verify_managers(ovs);
     delete_managers(ovs);
 }
 
 static void
-insert_managers(struct vsctl_context *ctx, char *targets[], size_t n)
+insert_managers(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx, char *targets[], size_t n)
 {
     struct ovsrec_manager **managers;
     size_t i;
@@ -2578,27 +2328,28 @@ insert_managers(struct vsctl_context *ctx, char *targets[], size_t n)
         if (stream_verify_name(targets[i]) && pstream_verify_name(targets[i])) {
             VLOG_WARN("target type \"%s\" is possibly erroneous", targets[i]);
         }
-        managers[i] = ovsrec_manager_insert(ctx->txn);
+        managers[i] = ovsrec_manager_insert(vsctl_ctx->base.txn);
         ovsrec_manager_set_target(managers[i], targets[i]);
     }
 
     /* Store uuids of new Manager rows in 'manager_options' column. */
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_manager_options(ctx->ovs, managers, n);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_manager_options(vsctl_ctx->ovs, managers, n);
     free(managers);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_set_manager(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_set_manager(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     const size_t n = ctx->argc - 1;
 
-    verify_managers(ctx->ovs);
-    delete_managers(ctx->ovs);
-    insert_managers(ctx, &ctx->argv[1], n);
+    verify_managers(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
+    delete_managers(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
+    insert_managers(vsctl_ctx, &ctx->argv[1], n);
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_get_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_get_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_ssl);
 
@@ -2609,11 +2360,12 @@ pre_cmd_get_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_get_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_get_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
-    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = ctx->ovs->ssl;
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = vsctl_ctx->ovs->ssl;
 
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(ctx->ovs);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
     if (ssl) {
         ovsrec_ssl_verify_private_key(ssl);
         ovsrec_ssl_verify_certificate(ssl);
@@ -2629,36 +2381,38 @@ cmd_get_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_del_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_del_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_ssl);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
-    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = ctx->ovs->ssl;
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
+    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = vsctl_ctx->ovs->ssl;
 
     if (ssl) {
-        ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(ctx->ovs);
+        ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
         ovsrec_ssl_delete(ssl);
-        ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(ctx->ovs, NULL);
+        ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs, NULL);
     }
 }
 
 static void
-pre_cmd_set_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_cmd_set_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_ssl);
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_set_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_set_ssl(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     bool bootstrap = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--bootstrap");
-    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = ctx->ovs->ssl;
+    struct ovsrec_ssl *ssl = vsctl_ctx->ovs->ssl;
 
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(ctx->ovs);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_verify_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs);
     if (ssl) {
         ovsrec_ssl_delete(ssl);
     }
@@ -2670,7 +2424,7 @@ cmd_set_ssl(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 
     ovsrec_ssl_set_bootstrap_ca_cert(ssl, bootstrap);
 
-    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(ctx->ovs, ssl);
+    ovsrec_open_vswitch_set_ssl(vsctl_ctx->ovs, ssl);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2699,27 +2453,28 @@ autoattach_insert_mapping(struct ovsrec_autoattach *aa,
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_add_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_add_aa_mapping(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     int64_t isid, vlan;
     char *nptr = NULL;
 
     isid = strtoull(ctx->argv[2], &nptr, 10);
     if (nptr == ctx->argv[2] || nptr == NULL) {
-        vsctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[2]);
+        ctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[2]);
         return;
     }
 
     vlan = strtoull(ctx->argv[3], &nptr, 10);
     if (nptr == ctx->argv[3] || nptr == NULL) {
-        vsctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[3]);
+        ctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[3]);
         return;
     }
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (br->parent) {
         br = br->parent;
     }
@@ -2758,27 +2513,28 @@ del_aa_mapping(struct ovsrec_autoattach *aa,
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_del_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_del_aa_mapping(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
     int64_t isid, vlan;
     char *nptr = NULL;
 
     isid = strtoull(ctx->argv[2], &nptr, 10);
     if (nptr == ctx->argv[2] || nptr == NULL) {
-        vsctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[2]);
+        ctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[2]);
         return;
     }
 
     vlan = strtoull(ctx->argv[3], &nptr, 10);
     if (nptr == ctx->argv[3] || nptr == NULL) {
-        vsctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[3]);
+        ctl_fatal("Invalid argument %s", ctx->argv[3]);
         return;
     }
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (br->parent) {
         br = br->parent;
     }
@@ -2799,7 +2555,7 @@ cmd_del_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 static void
-pre_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+pre_aa_mapping(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
     pre_get_info(ctx);
 
@@ -2820,13 +2576,14 @@ verify_auto_attach(struct ovsrec_bridge *bridge)
 }
 
 static void
-cmd_get_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
+cmd_get_aa_mapping(struct ctl_context *ctx)
 {
+    struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx = vsctl_context_cast(ctx);
     struct vsctl_bridge *br;
 
     vsctl_context_populate_cache(ctx);
 
-    br = find_bridge(ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
+    br = find_bridge(vsctl_ctx, ctx->argv[1], true);
     if (br->parent) {
         br = br->parent;
     }
@@ -2847,20 +2604,7 @@ cmd_get_aa_mapping(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
 }
 
 
-/* Parameter commands. */
-
-struct vsctl_row_id {
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *name_column;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *uuid_column;
-};
-
-struct vsctl_table_class {
-    struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *class;
-    struct vsctl_row_id row_ids[2];
-};
-
-static const struct vsctl_table_class tables[] = {
+const struct ctl_table_class tables[] = {
     {&ovsrec_table_bridge,
      {{&ovsrec_table_bridge, &ovsrec_bridge_col_name, NULL},
       {&ovsrec_table_flow_sample_collector_set, NULL,
@@ -2939,1491 +2683,148 @@ static const struct vsctl_table_class tables[] = {
 };
 
 static void
-die_if_error(char *error)
-{
-    if (error) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s", error);
-    }
-}
-
-static int
-to_lower_and_underscores(unsigned c)
-{
-    return c == '-' ? '_' : tolower(c);
-}
-
-static unsigned int
-score_partial_match(const char *name, const char *s)
+post_db_reload_check_init(void)
 {
-    int score;
-
-    if (!strcmp(name, s)) {
-        return UINT_MAX;
-    }
-    for (score = 0; ; score++, name++, s++) {
-        if (to_lower_and_underscores(*name) != to_lower_and_underscores(*s)) {
-            break;
-        } else if (*name == '\0') {
-            return UINT_MAX - 1;
-        }
-    }
-    return *s == '\0' ? score : 0;
+    n_neoteric_ifaces = 0;
 }
 
-static const struct vsctl_table_class *
-get_table(const char *table_name)
+static void
+post_db_reload_expect_iface(const struct ovsrec_interface *iface)
 {
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *best_match = NULL;
-    unsigned int best_score = 0;
-
-    for (table = tables; table->class; table++) {
-        unsigned int score = score_partial_match(table->class->name,
-                                                 table_name);
-        if (score > best_score) {
-            best_match = table;
-            best_score = score;
-        } else if (score == best_score) {
-            best_match = NULL;
-        }
-    }
-    if (best_match) {
-        return best_match;
-    } else if (best_score) {
-        vsctl_fatal("multiple table names match \"%s\"", table_name);
-    } else {
-        vsctl_fatal("unknown table \"%s\"", table_name);
+    if (n_neoteric_ifaces >= allocated_neoteric_ifaces) {
+        neoteric_ifaces = x2nrealloc(neoteric_ifaces,
+                                     &allocated_neoteric_ifaces,
+                                     sizeof *neoteric_ifaces);
     }
+    neoteric_ifaces[n_neoteric_ifaces++] = iface->header_.uuid;
 }
 
-static const struct vsctl_table_class *
-pre_get_table(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const char *table_name)
+static void
+post_db_reload_do_checks(const struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx)
 {
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table_class;
-    int i;
-
-    table_class = get_table(table_name);
-    ovsdb_idl_add_table(ctx->idl, table_class->class);
-
-    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(table_class->row_ids); i++) {
-        const struct vsctl_row_id *id = &table_class->row_ids[i];
-        if (id->table) {
-            ovsdb_idl_add_table(ctx->idl, id->table);
-        }
-        if (id->name_column) {
-            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, id->name_column);
-        }
-        if (id->uuid_column) {
-            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, id->uuid_column);
-        }
-    }
-
-    return table_class;
-}
+    struct ds dead_ifaces = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
+    size_t i;
 
-static const struct ovsdb_idl_row *
-get_row_by_id(struct vsctl_context *ctx, const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-              const struct vsctl_row_id *id, const char *record_id)
-{
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *referrer, *final;
+    for (i = 0; i < n_neoteric_ifaces; i++) {
+        const struct uuid *uuid;
 
-    if (!id->table) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
+        uuid = ovsdb_idl_txn_get_insert_uuid(vsctl_ctx->base.txn,
+                                             &neoteric_ifaces[i]);
+        if (uuid) {
+            const struct ovsrec_interface *iface;
 
-    if (!id->name_column) {
-        if (strcmp(record_id, ".")) {
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        referrer = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, id->table);
-        if (!referrer || ovsdb_idl_next_row(referrer)) {
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    } else {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-
-        referrer = NULL;
-        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, id->table);
-             row != NULL;
-             row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row))
-        {
-            const struct ovsdb_datum *name;
-
-            name = ovsdb_idl_get(row, id->name_column,
-                                 OVSDB_TYPE_STRING, OVSDB_TYPE_VOID);
-            if (name->n == 1 && !strcmp(name->keys[0].string, record_id)) {
-                if (referrer) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("multiple rows in %s match \"%s\"",
-                                table->class->name, record_id);
-                }
-                referrer = row;
+            iface = ovsrec_interface_get_for_uuid(vsctl_ctx->base.idl, uuid);
+            if (iface && (!iface->ofport || *iface->ofport == -1)) {
+                ds_put_format(&dead_ifaces, "'%s', ", iface->name);
             }
         }
     }
-    if (!referrer) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    final = NULL;
-    if (id->uuid_column) {
-        const struct ovsdb_datum *uuid;
 
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(referrer, id->uuid_column);
-        uuid = ovsdb_idl_get(referrer, id->uuid_column,
-                             OVSDB_TYPE_UUID, OVSDB_TYPE_VOID);
-        if (uuid->n == 1) {
-            final = ovsdb_idl_get_row_for_uuid(ctx->idl, table->class,
-                                               &uuid->keys[0].uuid);
-        }
-    } else {
-        final = referrer;
+    if (dead_ifaces.length) {
+        dead_ifaces.length -= 2; /* Strip off trailing comma and space. */
+        ovs_error(0, "Error detected while setting up %s.  See ovs-vswitchd "
+                  "log for details.", ds_cstr(&dead_ifaces));
     }
 
-    return final;
+    ds_destroy(&dead_ifaces);
 }
 
-static const struct ovsdb_idl_row *
-get_row (struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-         const struct vsctl_table_class *table, const char *record_id,
-         bool must_exist)
+
+static void
+vsctl_context_init_command(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
+                           struct ctl_command *command)
 {
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    struct uuid uuid;
-
-    row = NULL;
-    if (uuid_from_string(&uuid, record_id)) {
-        row = ovsdb_idl_get_row_for_uuid(ctx->idl, table->class, &uuid);
-    }
-    if (!row) {
-        int i;
-
-        for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(table->row_ids); i++) {
-            row = get_row_by_id(ctx, table, &table->row_ids[i], record_id);
-            if (row) {
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    if (must_exist && !row) {
-        vsctl_fatal("no row \"%s\" in table %s",
-                    record_id, table->class->name);
-    }
-    return row;
+    ctl_context_init_command(&vsctl_ctx->base, command);
+    vsctl_ctx->verified_ports = false;
 }
 
-static char *
-get_column(const struct vsctl_table_class *table, const char *column_name,
-           const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp)
+static void
+vsctl_context_init(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
+                   struct ctl_command *command, struct ovsdb_idl *idl,
+                   struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn,
+                   const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs,
+                   struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
 {
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *best_match = NULL;
-    unsigned int best_score = 0;
-    size_t i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < table->class->n_columns; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = &table->class->columns[i];
-        unsigned int score = score_partial_match(column->name, column_name);
-        if (score > best_score) {
-            best_match = column;
-            best_score = score;
-        } else if (score == best_score) {
-            best_match = NULL;
-        }
-    }
-
-    *columnp = best_match;
-    if (best_match) {
-        return NULL;
-    } else if (best_score) {
-        return xasprintf("%s contains more than one column whose name "
-                         "matches \"%s\"", table->class->name, column_name);
-    } else {
-        return xasprintf("%s does not contain a column whose name matches "
-                         "\"%s\"", table->class->name, column_name);
+    ctl_context_init(&vsctl_ctx->base, command, idl, txn, symtab,
+                     vsctl_context_invalidate_cache);
+    if (command) {
+        vsctl_ctx->verified_ports = false;
     }
+    vsctl_ctx->ovs = ovs;
+    vsctl_ctx->cache_valid = false;
 }
 
-static struct ovsdb_symbol *
-create_symbol(struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab, const char *id, bool *newp)
+static void
+vsctl_context_done_command(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
+                           struct ctl_command *command)
 {
-    struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol;
-
-    if (id[0] != '@') {
-        vsctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" does not begin with \"@\"", id);
-    }
-
-    if (newp) {
-        *newp = ovsdb_symbol_table_get(symtab, id) == NULL;
-    }
-
-    symbol = ovsdb_symbol_table_insert(symtab, id);
-    if (symbol->created) {
-        vsctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" may only be specified on one --id option",
-                    id);
-    }
-    symbol->created = true;
-    return symbol;
+    ctl_context_done_command(&vsctl_ctx->base, command);
 }
 
 static void
-pre_get_column(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-               const struct vsctl_table_class *table, const char *column_name,
-               const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp)
+vsctl_context_done(struct vsctl_context *vsctl_ctx,
+                   struct ctl_command *command)
 {
-    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, columnp));
-    ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, *columnp);
+    ctl_context_done(&vsctl_ctx->base, command);
 }
 
-static char *
-missing_operator_error(const char *arg, const char **allowed_operators,
-                       size_t n_allowed)
+static void
+run_prerequisites(struct ctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
+                  struct ovsdb_idl *idl)
 {
-    struct ds s;
-
-    ds_init(&s);
-    ds_put_format(&s, "%s: argument does not end in ", arg);
-    ds_put_format(&s, "\"%s\"", allowed_operators[0]);
-    if (n_allowed == 2) {
-        ds_put_format(&s, " or \"%s\"", allowed_operators[1]);
-    } else if (n_allowed > 2) {
-        size_t i;
+    struct ctl_command *c;
 
-        for (i = 1; i < n_allowed - 1; i++) {
-            ds_put_format(&s, ", \"%s\"", allowed_operators[i]);
-        }
-        ds_put_format(&s, ", or \"%s\"", allowed_operators[i]);
-    }
-    ds_put_format(&s, " followed by a value.");
-
-    return ds_steal_cstr(&s);
-}
-
-/* Breaks 'arg' apart into a number of fields in the following order:
- *
- *      - The name of a column in 'table', stored into '*columnp'.  The column
- *        name may be abbreviated.
- *
- *      - Optionally ':' followed by a key string.  The key is stored as a
- *        malloc()'d string into '*keyp', or NULL if no key is present in
- *        'arg'.
- *
- *      - If 'valuep' is nonnull, an operator followed by a value string.  The
- *        allowed operators are the 'n_allowed' string in 'allowed_operators',
- *        or just "=" if 'n_allowed' is 0.  If 'operatorp' is nonnull, then the
- *        index of the operator within 'allowed_operators' is stored into
- *        '*operatorp'.  The value is stored as a malloc()'d string into
- *        '*valuep', or NULL if no value is present in 'arg'.
- *
- * On success, returns NULL.  On failure, returned a malloc()'d string error
- * message and stores NULL into all of the nonnull output arguments. */
-static char * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
-parse_column_key_value(const char *arg,
-                       const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-                       const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columnp, char **keyp,
-                       int *operatorp,
-                       const char **allowed_operators, size_t n_allowed,
-                       char **valuep)
-{
-    const char *p = arg;
-    char *column_name;
-    char *error;
-
-    ovs_assert(!(operatorp && !valuep));
-    *keyp = NULL;
-    if (valuep) {
-        *valuep = NULL;
-    }
-
-    /* Parse column name. */
-    error = ovsdb_token_parse(&p, &column_name);
-    if (error) {
-        goto error;
-    }
-    if (column_name[0] == '\0') {
-        free(column_name);
-        error = xasprintf("%s: missing column name", arg);
-        goto error;
-    }
-    error = get_column(table, column_name, columnp);
-    free(column_name);
-    if (error) {
-        goto error;
-    }
-
-    /* Parse key string. */
-    if (*p == ':') {
-        p++;
-        error = ovsdb_token_parse(&p, keyp);
-        if (error) {
-            goto error;
-        }
+    ovsdb_idl_add_table(idl, &ovsrec_table_open_vswitch);
+    if (wait_for_reload) {
+        ovsdb_idl_add_column(idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_cur_cfg);
     }
+    for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
+        if (c->syntax->prerequisites) {
+            struct vsctl_context vsctl_ctx;
 
-    /* Parse value string. */
-    if (valuep) {
-        size_t best_len;
-        size_t i;
-        int best;
-
-        if (!allowed_operators) {
-            static const char *equals = "=";
-            allowed_operators = &equals;
-            n_allowed = 1;
-        }
-
-        best = -1;
-        best_len = 0;
-        for (i = 0; i < n_allowed; i++) {
-            const char *op = allowed_operators[i];
-            size_t op_len = strlen(op);
-
-            if (op_len > best_len && !strncmp(op, p, op_len) && p[op_len]) {
-                best_len = op_len;
-                best = i;
-            }
-        }
-        if (best < 0) {
-            error = missing_operator_error(arg, allowed_operators, n_allowed);
-            goto error;
-        }
+            ds_init(&c->output);
+            c->table = NULL;
 
-        if (operatorp) {
-            *operatorp = best;
-        }
-        *valuep = xstrdup(p + best_len);
-    } else {
-        if (*p != '\0') {
-            error = xasprintf("%s: trailing garbage \"%s\" in argument",
-                              arg, p);
-            goto error;
-        }
-    }
-    return NULL;
+            vsctl_context_init(&vsctl_ctx, c, idl, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+            (c->syntax->prerequisites)(&vsctl_ctx.base);
+            vsctl_context_done(&vsctl_ctx, c);
 
-error:
-    *columnp = NULL;
-    free(*keyp);
-    *keyp = NULL;
-    if (valuep) {
-        free(*valuep);
-        *valuep = NULL;
-        if (operatorp) {
-            *operatorp = -1;
+            ovs_assert(!c->output.string);
+            ovs_assert(!c->table);
         }
     }
-    return error;
 }
 
-static const struct ovsdb_idl_column *
-pre_parse_column_key_value(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-                           const char *arg,
-                           const struct vsctl_table_class *table)
+static void
+do_vsctl(const char *args, struct ctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
+         struct ovsdb_idl *idl)
 {
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-    const char *p;
-    char *column_name;
+    struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn;
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs;
+    enum ovsdb_idl_txn_status status;
+    struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab;
+    struct vsctl_context vsctl_ctx;
+    struct ctl_command *c;
+    struct shash_node *node;
+    int64_t next_cfg = 0;
+    char *error = NULL;
 
-    p = arg;
-    die_if_error(ovsdb_token_parse(&p, &column_name));
-    if (column_name[0] == '\0') {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s: missing column name", arg);
+    txn = the_idl_txn = ovsdb_idl_txn_create(idl);
+    if (dry_run) {
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_set_dry_run(txn);
     }
 
-    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
-    free(column_name);
-
-    return column;
-}
+    ovsdb_idl_txn_add_comment(txn, "ovs-vsctl: %s", args);
 
-static void
-check_mutable(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
-              const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column)
-{
-    if (!ovsdb_idl_is_mutable(row, column)) {
-        vsctl_fatal("cannot modify read-only column %s in table %s",
-                    column->name, row->table->class->name);
+    ovs = ovsrec_open_vswitch_first(idl);
+    if (!ovs) {
+        /* XXX add verification that table is empty */
+        ovs = ovsrec_open_vswitch_insert(txn);
     }
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_get(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
 
-    /* Using "get" without --id or a column name could possibly make sense.
-     * Maybe, for example, a ovs-vsctl run wants to assert that a row exists.
-     * But it is unlikely that an interactive user would want to do that, so
-     * issue a warning if we're running on a terminal. */
-    if (!id && ctx->argc <= 3 && isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
-        VLOG_WARN("\"get\" command without row arguments or \"--id\" is "
-                  "possibly erroneous");
-    }
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        if (!strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "_uuid")
-            || !strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "-uuid")) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_get(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    struct ds *out = &ctx->output;
-    int i;
-
-    if (id && !must_exist) {
-        vsctl_fatal("--if-exists and --id may not be specified together");
-    }
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    if (id) {
-        struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol;
-        bool new;
-
-        symbol = create_symbol(ctx->symtab, id, &new);
-        if (!new) {
-            vsctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" specified on \"get\" command was used "
-                        "before it was defined", id);
-        }
-        symbol->uuid = row->uuid;
-
-        /* This symbol refers to a row that already exists, so disable warnings
-         * about it being unreferenced. */
-        symbol->strong_ref = true;
-    }
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-        const struct ovsdb_datum *datum;
-        char *key_string;
-
-        /* Special case for obtaining the UUID of a row.  We can't just do this
-         * through parse_column_key_value() below since it returns a "struct
-         * ovsdb_idl_column" and the UUID column doesn't have one. */
-        if (!strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "_uuid")
-            || !strcasecmp(ctx->argv[i], "-uuid")) {
-            ds_put_format(out, UUID_FMT"\n", UUID_ARGS(&row->uuid));
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        die_if_error(parse_column_key_value(ctx->argv[i], table,
-                                            &column, &key_string,
-                                            NULL, NULL, 0, NULL));
-
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
-        datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
-        if (key_string) {
-            union ovsdb_atom key;
-            unsigned int idx;
-
-            if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
-                vsctl_fatal("cannot specify key to get for non-map column %s",
-                            column->name);
-            }
-
-            die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&key,
-                                                &column->type.key,
-                                                key_string, ctx->symtab));
-
-            idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key,
-                                       column->type.key.type);
-            if (idx == UINT_MAX) {
-                if (must_exist) {
-                    vsctl_fatal("no key \"%s\" in %s record \"%s\" column %s",
-                                key_string, table->class->name, record_id,
-                                column->name);
-                }
-            } else {
-                ovsdb_atom_to_string(&datum->values[idx],
-                                     column->type.value.type, out);
-            }
-            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&key, column->type.key.type);
-        } else {
-            ovsdb_datum_to_string(datum, &column->type, out);
-        }
-        ds_put_char(out, '\n');
-
-        free(key_string);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-parse_column_names(const char *column_names,
-                   const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-                   const struct ovsdb_idl_column ***columnsp,
-                   size_t *n_columnsp)
-{
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
-    size_t n_columns;
-
-    if (!column_names) {
-        size_t i;
-
-        n_columns = table->class->n_columns + 1;
-        columns = xmalloc(n_columns * sizeof *columns);
-        columns[0] = NULL;
-        for (i = 0; i < table->class->n_columns; i++) {
-            columns[i + 1] = &table->class->columns[i];
-        }
-    } else {
-        char *s = xstrdup(column_names);
-        size_t allocated_columns;
-        char *save_ptr = NULL;
-        char *column_name;
-
-        columns = NULL;
-        allocated_columns = n_columns = 0;
-        for (column_name = strtok_r(s, ", ", &save_ptr); column_name;
-             column_name = strtok_r(NULL, ", ", &save_ptr)) {
-            const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-
-            if (!strcasecmp(column_name, "_uuid")) {
-                column = NULL;
-            } else {
-                die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
-            }
-            if (n_columns >= allocated_columns) {
-                columns = x2nrealloc(columns, &allocated_columns,
-                                     sizeof *columns);
-            }
-            columns[n_columns++] = column;
-        }
-        free(s);
-
-        if (!n_columns) {
-            vsctl_fatal("must specify at least one column name");
-        }
-    }
-    *columnsp = columns;
-    *n_columnsp = n_columns;
-}
-
-
-static void
-pre_list_columns(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-                 const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-                 const char *column_names)
-{
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
-    size_t n_columns;
-    size_t i;
-
-    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
-    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
-        if (columns[i]) {
-            ovsdb_idl_add_column(ctx->idl, columns[i]);
-        }
-    }
-    free(columns);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_list(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    pre_list_columns(ctx, table, column_names);
-}
-
-static struct table *
-list_make_table(const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns, size_t n_columns)
-{
-    struct table *out;
-    size_t i;
-
-    out = xmalloc(sizeof *out);
-    table_init(out);
-
-    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = columns[i];
-        const char *column_name = column ? column->name : "_uuid";
-
-        table_add_column(out, "%s", column_name);
-    }
-
-    return out;
-}
-
-static void
-list_record(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
-            const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns, size_t n_columns,
-            struct table *out)
-{
-    size_t i;
-
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    table_add_row(out);
-    for (i = 0; i < n_columns; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column = columns[i];
-        struct cell *cell = table_add_cell(out);
-
-        if (!column) {
-            struct ovsdb_datum datum;
-            union ovsdb_atom atom;
-
-            atom.uuid = row->uuid;
-
-            datum.keys = &atom;
-            datum.values = NULL;
-            datum.n = 1;
-
-            cell->json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(&datum, &ovsdb_type_uuid);
-            cell->type = &ovsdb_type_uuid;
-        } else {
-            const struct ovsdb_datum *datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
-
-            cell->json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(datum, &column->type);
-            cell->type = &column->type;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_list(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    struct table *out;
-    size_t n_columns;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
-    out = ctx->table = list_make_table(columns, n_columns);
-    if (ctx->argc > 2) {
-        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-            list_record(get_row(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], must_exist),
-                        columns, n_columns, out);
-        }
-    } else {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-
-        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class); row != NULL;
-             row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row)) {
-            list_record(row, columns, n_columns, out);
-        }
-    }
-    free(columns);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_find(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    pre_list_columns(ctx, table, column_names);
-    for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_find(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *column_names = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--columns");
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column **columns;
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    struct table *out;
-    size_t n_columns;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    parse_column_names(column_names, table, &columns, &n_columns);
-    out = ctx->table = list_make_table(columns, n_columns);
-    for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class); row;
-         row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row)) {
-        int i;
-
-        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-            if (!is_condition_satisfied(table, row, ctx->argv[i],
-                                        ctx->symtab)) {
-                goto next_row;
-            }
-        }
-        list_record(row, columns, n_columns, out);
-
-    next_row: ;
-    }
-    free(columns);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_set(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-set_column(const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-           const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row, const char *arg,
-           struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
-{
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-    char *key_string, *value_string;
-    char *error;
-
-    error = parse_column_key_value(arg, table, &column, &key_string,
-                                   NULL, NULL, 0, &value_string);
-    die_if_error(error);
-    if (!value_string) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s: missing value", arg);
-    }
-    check_mutable(row, column);
-
-    if (key_string) {
-        union ovsdb_atom key, value;
-        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
-
-        if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
-            vsctl_fatal("cannot specify key to set for non-map column %s",
-                        column->name);
-        }
-
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&key, &column->type.key,
-                                            key_string, symtab));
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&value, &column->type.value,
-                                            value_string, symtab));
-
-        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&datum);
-        ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(&datum, &key, &value, &column->type);
-
-        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&key, column->type.key.type);
-        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&value, column->type.value.type);
-
-        ovsdb_datum_union(&datum, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column),
-                          &column->type, false);
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
-    } else {
-        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
-
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&datum, &column->type,
-                                             value_string, symtab));
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
-    }
-
-    free(key_string);
-    free(value_string);
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_set(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        set_column(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
-    }
-
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_add(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_add(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    const struct ovsdb_type *type;
-    struct ovsdb_datum old;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-    check_mutable(row, column);
-
-    type = &column->type;
-    ovsdb_datum_clone(&old, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column), &column->type);
-    for (i = 4; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        struct ovsdb_type add_type;
-        struct ovsdb_datum add;
-
-        add_type = *type;
-        add_type.n_min = 1;
-        add_type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&add, &add_type, ctx->argv[i],
-                                             ctx->symtab));
-        ovsdb_datum_union(&old, &add, type, false);
-        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&add, type);
-    }
-    if (old.n > type->n_max) {
-        vsctl_fatal("\"add\" operation would put %u %s in column %s of "
-                    "table %s but the maximum number is %u",
-                    old.n,
-                    type->value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID ? "values" : "pairs",
-                    column->name, table->class->name, type->n_max);
-    }
-    ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
-    ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &old);
-
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_remove(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    pre_get_column(ctx, table, column_name, &column);
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_remove(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const char *column_name = ctx->argv[3];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    const struct ovsdb_type *type;
-    struct ovsdb_datum old;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    die_if_error(get_column(table, column_name, &column));
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-    check_mutable(row, column);
-
-    type = &column->type;
-    ovsdb_datum_clone(&old, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column), &column->type);
-    for (i = 4; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        struct ovsdb_type rm_type;
-        struct ovsdb_datum rm;
-        char *error;
-
-        rm_type = *type;
-        rm_type.n_min = 1;
-        rm_type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
-        error = ovsdb_datum_from_string(&rm, &rm_type,
-                                        ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
-
-        if (error) {
-            if (ovsdb_type_is_map(&rm_type)) {
-                rm_type.value.type = OVSDB_TYPE_VOID;
-                free(error);
-                die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(
-                                 &rm, &rm_type, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab));
-            } else {
-                vsctl_fatal("%s", error);
-            }
-        }
-        ovsdb_datum_subtract(&old, type, &rm, &rm_type);
-        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&rm, &rm_type);
-    }
-    if (old.n < type->n_min) {
-        vsctl_fatal("\"remove\" operation would put %u %s in column %s of "
-                    "table %s but the minimum number is %u",
-                    old.n,
-                    type->value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID ? "values" : "pairs",
-                    column->name, table->class->name, type->n_min);
-    }
-    ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
-    ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &old);
-
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_clear(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-
-        pre_get_column(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], &column);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_clear(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, must_exist);
-    if (!row) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-        const struct ovsdb_type *type;
-        struct ovsdb_datum datum;
-
-        die_if_error(get_column(table, ctx->argv[i], &column));
-        check_mutable(row, column);
-
-        type = &column->type;
-        if (type->n_min > 0) {
-            vsctl_fatal("\"clear\" operation cannot be applied to column %s "
-                        "of table %s, which is not allowed to be empty",
-                        column->name, table->class->name);
-        }
-
-        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&datum);
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
-    }
-
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_create(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-    if (!id && !table->class->is_root) {
-        VLOG_WARN("applying \"create\" command to table %s without --id "
-                  "option will have no effect", table->class->name);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_create(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *id = shash_find_data(&ctx->options, "--id");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table = get_table(table_name);
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    const struct uuid *uuid;
-    int i;
-
-    if (id) {
-        struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol = create_symbol(ctx->symtab, id, NULL);
-        if (table->class->is_root) {
-            /* This table is in the root set, meaning that rows created in it
-             * won't disappear even if they are unreferenced, so disable
-             * warnings about that by pretending that there is a reference. */
-            symbol->strong_ref = true;
-        }
-        uuid = &symbol->uuid;
-    } else {
-        uuid = NULL;
-    }
-
-    row = ovsdb_idl_txn_insert(ctx->txn, table->class, uuid);
-    for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        set_column(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab);
-    }
-    ds_put_format(&ctx->output, UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(&row->uuid));
-}
-
-/* This function may be used as the 'postprocess' function for commands that
- * insert new rows into the database.  It expects that the command's 'run'
- * function prints the UUID reported by ovsdb_idl_txn_insert() as the command's
- * sole output.  It replaces that output by the row's permanent UUID assigned
- * by the database server and appends a new-line.
- *
- * Currently we use this only for "create", because the higher-level commands
- * are supposed to be independent of the actual structure of the vswitch
- * configuration. */
-static void
-post_create(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const struct uuid *real;
-    struct uuid dummy;
-
-    if (!uuid_from_string(&dummy, ds_cstr(&ctx->output))) {
-        OVS_NOT_REACHED();
-    }
-    real = ovsdb_idl_txn_get_insert_uuid(ctx->txn, &dummy);
-    if (real) {
-        ds_clear(&ctx->output);
-        ds_put_format(&ctx->output, UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(real));
-    }
-    ds_put_char(&ctx->output, '\n');
-}
-
-static void
-post_db_reload_check_init(void)
-{
-    n_neoteric_ifaces = 0;
-}
-
-static void
-post_db_reload_expect_iface(const struct ovsrec_interface *iface)
-{
-    if (n_neoteric_ifaces >= allocated_neoteric_ifaces) {
-        neoteric_ifaces = x2nrealloc(neoteric_ifaces,
-                                     &allocated_neoteric_ifaces,
-                                     sizeof *neoteric_ifaces);
-    }
-    neoteric_ifaces[n_neoteric_ifaces++] = iface->header_.uuid;
-}
-
-static void
-post_db_reload_do_checks(const struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    struct ds dead_ifaces = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
-    size_t i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < n_neoteric_ifaces; i++) {
-        const struct uuid *uuid;
-
-        uuid = ovsdb_idl_txn_get_insert_uuid(ctx->txn, &neoteric_ifaces[i]);
-        if (uuid) {
-            const struct ovsrec_interface *iface;
-
-            iface = ovsrec_interface_get_for_uuid(ctx->idl, uuid);
-            if (iface && (!iface->ofport || *iface->ofport == -1)) {
-                ds_put_format(&dead_ifaces, "'%s', ", iface->name);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (dead_ifaces.length) {
-        dead_ifaces.length -= 2; /* Strip off trailing comma and space. */
-        ovs_error(0, "Error detected while setting up %s.  See ovs-vswitchd "
-                  "log for details.", ds_cstr(&dead_ifaces));
-    }
-
-    ds_destroy(&dead_ifaces);
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_destroy(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-
-    pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_destroy(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    bool must_exist = !shash_find(&ctx->options, "--if-exists");
-    bool delete_all = shash_find(&ctx->options, "--all");
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-
-    if (delete_all && ctx->argc > 2) {
-        vsctl_fatal("--all and records argument should not be specified together");
-    }
-
-    if (delete_all && !must_exist) {
-        vsctl_fatal("--all and --if-exists should not be specified together");
-    }
-
-    if (delete_all) {
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-        const struct ovsdb_idl_row *next_row;
-
-        for (row = ovsdb_idl_first_row(ctx->idl, table->class);
-             row;) {
-             next_row = ovsdb_idl_next_row(row);
-             ovsdb_idl_txn_delete(row);
-             row = next_row;
-        }
-    } else {
-        for (i = 2; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-            const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-
-            row = get_row(ctx, table, ctx->argv[i], must_exist);
-            if (row) {
-                ovsdb_idl_txn_delete(row);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-#define RELOPS                                  \
-    RELOP(RELOP_EQ,     "=")                    \
-    RELOP(RELOP_NE,     "!=")                   \
-    RELOP(RELOP_LT,     "<")                    \
-    RELOP(RELOP_GT,     ">")                    \
-    RELOP(RELOP_LE,     "<=")                   \
-    RELOP(RELOP_GE,     ">=")                   \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_EQ, "{=}")                  \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_NE, "{!=}")                 \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_LT, "{<}")                  \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_GT, "{>}")                  \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_LE, "{<=}")                 \
-    RELOP(RELOP_SET_GE, "{>=}")
-
-enum relop {
-#define RELOP(ENUM, STRING) ENUM,
-    RELOPS
-#undef RELOP
-};
-
-static bool
-is_set_operator(enum relop op)
-{
-    return (op == RELOP_SET_EQ || op == RELOP_SET_NE ||
-            op == RELOP_SET_LT || op == RELOP_SET_GT ||
-            op == RELOP_SET_LE || op == RELOP_SET_GE);
-}
-
-static bool
-evaluate_relop(const struct ovsdb_datum *a, const struct ovsdb_datum *b,
-               const struct ovsdb_type *type, enum relop op)
-{
-    switch (op) {
-    case RELOP_EQ:
-    case RELOP_SET_EQ:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) == 0;
-    case RELOP_NE:
-    case RELOP_SET_NE:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) != 0;
-    case RELOP_LT:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) < 0;
-    case RELOP_GT:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) > 0;
-    case RELOP_LE:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) <= 0;
-    case RELOP_GE:
-        return ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(a, b, type) >= 0;
-
-    case RELOP_SET_LT:
-        return b->n > a->n && ovsdb_datum_includes_all(a, b, type);
-    case RELOP_SET_GT:
-        return a->n > b->n && ovsdb_datum_includes_all(b, a, type);
-    case RELOP_SET_LE:
-        return ovsdb_datum_includes_all(a, b, type);
-    case RELOP_SET_GE:
-        return ovsdb_datum_includes_all(b, a, type);
-
-    default:
-        OVS_NOT_REACHED();
-    }
-}
-
-static bool
-is_condition_satisfied(const struct vsctl_table_class *table,
-                       const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row, const char *arg,
-                       struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
-{
-    static const char *operators[] = {
-#define RELOP(ENUM, STRING) STRING,
-        RELOPS
-#undef RELOP
-    };
-
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column;
-    const struct ovsdb_datum *have_datum;
-    char *key_string, *value_string;
-    struct ovsdb_type type;
-    int operator;
-    bool retval;
-    char *error;
-
-    error = parse_column_key_value(arg, table, &column, &key_string,
-                                   &operator, operators, ARRAY_SIZE(operators),
-                                   &value_string);
-    die_if_error(error);
-    if (!value_string) {
-        vsctl_fatal("%s: missing value", arg);
-    }
-
-    type = column->type;
-    type.n_max = UINT_MAX;
-
-    have_datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
-    if (key_string) {
-        union ovsdb_atom want_key;
-        struct ovsdb_datum b;
-        unsigned int idx;
-
-        if (column->type.value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
-            vsctl_fatal("cannot specify key to check for non-map column %s",
-                        column->name);
-        }
-
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_atom_from_string(&want_key, &column->type.key,
-                                            key_string, symtab));
-
-        type.key = type.value;
-        type.value.type = OVSDB_TYPE_VOID;
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&b, &type, value_string, symtab));
-
-        idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(have_datum,
-                                   &want_key, column->type.key.type);
-        if (idx == UINT_MAX && !is_set_operator(operator)) {
-            retval = false;
-        } else {
-            struct ovsdb_datum a;
-
-            if (idx != UINT_MAX) {
-                a.n = 1;
-                a.keys = &have_datum->values[idx];
-                a.values = NULL;
-            } else {
-                a.n = 0;
-                a.keys = NULL;
-                a.values = NULL;
-            }
-
-            retval = evaluate_relop(&a, &b, &type, operator);
-        }
-
-        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&want_key, column->type.key.type);
-        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&b, &type);
-    } else {
-        struct ovsdb_datum want_datum;
-
-        die_if_error(ovsdb_datum_from_string(&want_datum, &column->type,
-                                             value_string, symtab));
-        retval = evaluate_relop(have_datum, &want_datum, &type, operator);
-        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&want_datum, &column->type);
-    }
-
-    free(key_string);
-    free(value_string);
-
-    return retval;
-}
-
-static void
-pre_cmd_wait_until(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    int i;
-
-    table = pre_get_table(ctx, table_name);
-
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        pre_parse_column_key_value(ctx, ctx->argv[i], table);
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-cmd_wait_until(struct vsctl_context *ctx)
-{
-    const char *table_name = ctx->argv[1];
-    const char *record_id = ctx->argv[2];
-    const struct vsctl_table_class *table;
-    const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row;
-    int i;
-
-    table = get_table(table_name);
-
-    row = get_row(ctx, table, record_id, false);
-    if (!row) {
-        ctx->try_again = true;
-        return;
-    }
-
-    for (i = 3; i < ctx->argc; i++) {
-        if (!is_condition_satisfied(table, row, ctx->argv[i], ctx->symtab)) {
-            ctx->try_again = true;
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/* Prepares 'ctx', which has already been initialized with
- * vsctl_context_init(), for processing 'command'. */
-static void
-vsctl_context_init_command(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-                           struct vsctl_command *command)
-{
-    ctx->argc = command->argc;
-    ctx->argv = command->argv;
-    ctx->options = command->options;
-
-    ds_swap(&ctx->output, &command->output);
-    ctx->table = command->table;
-
-    ctx->verified_ports = false;
-
-    ctx->try_again = false;
-}
-
-/* Prepares 'ctx' for processing commands, initializing its members with the
- * values passed in as arguments.
- *
- * If 'command' is nonnull, calls vsctl_context_init_command() to prepare for
- * that particular command. */
-static void
-vsctl_context_init(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_command *command,
-                   struct ovsdb_idl *idl, struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn,
-                   const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs,
-                   struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab)
-{
-    if (command) {
-        vsctl_context_init_command(ctx, command);
-    }
-    ctx->idl = idl;
-    ctx->txn = txn;
-    ctx->ovs = ovs;
-    ctx->symtab = symtab;
-    ctx->cache_valid = false;
-}
-
-/* Completes processing of 'command' within 'ctx'. */
-static void
-vsctl_context_done_command(struct vsctl_context *ctx,
-                           struct vsctl_command *command)
-{
-    ds_swap(&ctx->output, &command->output);
-    command->table = ctx->table;
-}
-
-/* Finishes up with 'ctx'.
- *
- * If command is nonnull, first calls vsctl_context_done_command() to complete
- * processing that command within 'ctx'. */
-static void
-vsctl_context_done(struct vsctl_context *ctx, struct vsctl_command *command)
-{
-    if (command) {
-        vsctl_context_done_command(ctx, command);
-    }
-    vsctl_context_invalidate_cache(ctx);
-}
-
-static void
-run_prerequisites(struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
-                  struct ovsdb_idl *idl)
-{
-    struct vsctl_command *c;
-
-    ovsdb_idl_add_table(idl, &ovsrec_table_open_vswitch);
-    if (wait_for_reload) {
-        ovsdb_idl_add_column(idl, &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_cur_cfg);
-    }
-    for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
-        if (c->syntax->prerequisites) {
-            struct vsctl_context ctx;
-
-            ds_init(&c->output);
-            c->table = NULL;
-
-            vsctl_context_init(&ctx, c, idl, NULL, NULL, NULL);
-            (c->syntax->prerequisites)(&ctx);
-            vsctl_context_done(&ctx, c);
-
-            ovs_assert(!c->output.string);
-            ovs_assert(!c->table);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
-         struct ovsdb_idl *idl)
-{
-    struct ovsdb_idl_txn *txn;
-    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *ovs;
-    enum ovsdb_idl_txn_status status;
-    struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab;
-    struct vsctl_context ctx;
-    struct vsctl_command *c;
-    struct shash_node *node;
-    int64_t next_cfg = 0;
-    char *error = NULL;
-
-    txn = the_idl_txn = ovsdb_idl_txn_create(idl);
-    if (dry_run) {
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_set_dry_run(txn);
-    }
-
-    ovsdb_idl_txn_add_comment(txn, "ovs-vsctl: %s", args);
-
-    ovs = ovsrec_open_vswitch_first(idl);
-    if (!ovs) {
-        /* XXX add verification that table is empty */
-        ovs = ovsrec_open_vswitch_insert(txn);
-    }
-
-    if (wait_for_reload) {
-        ovsdb_idl_txn_increment(txn, &ovs->header_,
-                                &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_next_cfg);
+    if (wait_for_reload) {
+        ovsdb_idl_txn_increment(txn, &ovs->header_,
+                                &ovsrec_open_vswitch_col_next_cfg);
     }
 
     post_db_reload_check_init();
@@ -4432,25 +2833,25 @@ do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
         ds_init(&c->output);
         c->table = NULL;
     }
-    vsctl_context_init(&ctx, NULL, idl, txn, ovs, symtab);
+    vsctl_context_init(&vsctl_ctx, NULL, idl, txn, ovs, symtab);
     for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
-        vsctl_context_init_command(&ctx, c);
+        vsctl_context_init_command(&vsctl_ctx, c);
         if (c->syntax->run) {
-            (c->syntax->run)(&ctx);
+            (c->syntax->run)(&vsctl_ctx.base);
         }
-        vsctl_context_done_command(&ctx, c);
+        vsctl_context_done_command(&vsctl_ctx, c);
 
-        if (ctx.try_again) {
-            vsctl_context_done(&ctx, NULL);
+        if (vsctl_ctx.base.try_again) {
+            vsctl_context_done(&vsctl_ctx, NULL);
             goto try_again;
         }
     }
-    vsctl_context_done(&ctx, NULL);
+    vsctl_context_done(&vsctl_ctx, NULL);
 
     SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &symtab->sh) {
         struct ovsdb_symbol *symbol = node->data;
         if (!symbol->created) {
-            vsctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" is referenced but never created (e.g. "
+            ctl_fatal("row id \"%s\" is referenced but never created (e.g. "
                         "with \"-- --id=%s create ...\")",
                         node->name, node->name);
         }
@@ -4474,11 +2875,9 @@ do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
     if (status == TXN_UNCHANGED || status == TXN_SUCCESS) {
         for (c = commands; c < &commands[n_commands]; c++) {
             if (c->syntax->postprocess) {
-                struct vsctl_context ctx;
-
-                vsctl_context_init(&ctx, c, idl, txn, ovs, symtab);
-                (c->syntax->postprocess)(&ctx);
-                vsctl_context_done(&ctx, c);
+                vsctl_context_init(&vsctl_ctx, c, idl, txn, ovs, symtab);
+                (c->syntax->postprocess)(&vsctl_ctx.base);
+                vsctl_context_done(&vsctl_ctx, c);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -4491,7 +2890,7 @@ do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
 
     case TXN_ABORTED:
         /* Should not happen--we never call ovsdb_idl_txn_abort(). */
-        vsctl_fatal("transaction aborted");
+        ctl_fatal("transaction aborted");
 
     case TXN_UNCHANGED:
     case TXN_SUCCESS:
@@ -4501,11 +2900,11 @@ do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
         goto try_again;
 
     case TXN_ERROR:
-        vsctl_fatal("transaction error: %s", error);
+        ctl_fatal("transaction error: %s", error);
 
     case TXN_NOT_LOCKED:
         /* Should not happen--we never call ovsdb_idl_set_lock(). */
-        vsctl_fatal("database not locked");
+        ctl_fatal("database not locked");
 
     default:
         OVS_NOT_REACHED();
@@ -4560,7 +2959,7 @@ do_vsctl(const char *args, struct vsctl_command *commands, size_t n_commands,
             ovsdb_idl_run(idl);
             OVSREC_OPEN_VSWITCH_FOR_EACH (ovs, idl) {
                 if (ovs->cur_cfg >= next_cfg) {
-                    post_db_reload_do_checks(&ctx);
+                    post_db_reload_do_checks(&vsctl_ctx);
                     goto done;
                 }
             }
@@ -4592,7 +2991,7 @@ try_again:
 }
 
 /*
- * Developers who add new commands to the 'struct vsctl_command_syntax' must
+ * Developers who add new commands to the 'struct ctl_command_syntax' must
  * define the 'arguments' member of the struct.  The following keywords are
  * available for composing the argument format:
  *
@@ -4609,7 +3008,7 @@ try_again:
  * multiple times.
  *
  * */
-static const struct vsctl_command_syntax all_commands[] = {
+static const struct ctl_command_syntax vsctl_commands[] = {
     /* Open vSwitch commands. */
     {"init", 0, 0, "", NULL, cmd_init, NULL, "", RW},
     {"show", 0, 0, "", pre_cmd_show, cmd_show, NULL, "", RO},
@@ -4686,33 +3085,13 @@ static const struct vsctl_command_syntax all_commands[] = {
     /* Switch commands. */
     {"emer-reset", 0, 0, "", pre_cmd_emer_reset, cmd_emer_reset, NULL, "", RW},
 
-    /* Database commands. */
-    {"comment", 0, INT_MAX, "[ARG]...", NULL, NULL, NULL, "", RO},
-    {"get", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD [COLUMN[:KEY]]...",pre_cmd_get, cmd_get,
-     NULL, "--if-exists,--id=", RO},
-    {"list", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [RECORD]...", pre_cmd_list, cmd_list, NULL,
-     "--if-exists,--columns=", RO},
-    {"find", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE]...", pre_cmd_find,
-     cmd_find, NULL, "--columns=", RO},
-    {"set", 3, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE...", pre_cmd_set,
-     cmd_set, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
-    {"add", 4, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN [KEY=]VALUE...", pre_cmd_add,
-     cmd_add, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
-    {"remove", 4, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN KEY|VALUE|KEY=VALUE...",
-     pre_cmd_remove, cmd_remove, NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
-    {"clear", 3, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD COLUMN...", pre_cmd_clear, cmd_clear,
-     NULL, "--if-exists", RW},
-    {"create", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE...", pre_create,
-     cmd_create, post_create, "--id=", RW},
-    {"destroy", 1, INT_MAX, "TABLE [RECORD]...", pre_cmd_destroy, cmd_destroy,
-     NULL, "--if-exists,--all", RW},
-    {"wait-until", 2, INT_MAX, "TABLE RECORD [COLUMN[:KEY]=VALUE]...",
-     pre_cmd_wait_until, cmd_wait_until, NULL, "", RO},
-
     {NULL, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, RO},
 };
 
-static const struct vsctl_command_syntax *get_all_commands(void)
+/* Registers vsctl and common db commands. */
+static void
+vsctl_cmd_init(void)
 {
-    return all_commands;
+    ctl_init();
+    ctl_register_commands(vsctl_commands);
 }
-- 
1.7.9.5




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