man/cat1/tar.1.txt

TAR(1) FSF TAR(1)
 
 
 
 
 
NAME
       tar - manual page for tar 1.13
 
SYNOPSIS
       tar [OPTION]... [FILE]...
 
DESCRIPTION
       GNU `tar' saves many files together into a single tape
       or disk archive, and can restore individual files from
       the archive.
 
       If a long option shows an argument as mandatory, then it
       is mandatory for the equivalent short option also. Sim-
       ilarly for optional arguments.
 
   Main operation mode:
       -t, --list
              list the contents of an archive
 
       -x, --extract, --get
              extract files from an archive
 
       -c, --create
              create a new archive
 
       -d, --diff, --compare
              find differences between archive and file system
 
       -r, --append
              append files to the end of an archive
 
       -u, --update
              only append files newer than copy in archive
 
       -A, --catenate
              append tar files to an archive
 
       --concatenate
              same as -A
 
       --delete
              delete from the archive (not on mag tapes!)
 
   Operation modifiers:
       -W, --verify
              attempt to verify the archive after writing it
 
       --remove-files
              remove files after adding them to the archive
 
       -k, --keep-old-files
              don't overwrite existing files when extracting
 
       -U, --unlink-first
              remove each file prior to extracting over it
 
       --recursive-unlink
              empty hierarchies prior to extracting directory
 
       -S, --sparse
              handle sparse files efficiently
 
       -O, --to-stdout
              extract files to standard output
 
       -G, --incremental
              handle old GNU-format incremental backup
 
       -g, --listed-incremental
              handle new GNU-format incremental backup
 
       --ignore-failed-read
              do not exit with nonzero on unreadable files
 
   Handling of file attributes:
       --owner=NAME
              force NAME as owner for added files
 
       --group=NAME
              force NAME as group for added files
 
       --mode=CHANGES
              force (symbolic) mode CHANGES for added files
 
       --atime-preserve
              don't change access times on dumped files
 
       -m, --modification-time
              don't extract file modified time
 
       --same-owner
              try extracting files with the same ownership
 
       --numeric-owner
              always use numbers for user/group names
 
       -p, --same-permissions
              extract all protection information
 
       --preserve-permissions
              same as -p
 
       -s, --same-order
              sort names to extract to match archive
 
       --preserve-order
              same as -s
 
       --preserve
              same as both -p and -s
 
   Device selection and switching:
       -f, --file=ARCHIVE
              use archive file or device ARCHIVE
 
       --force-local
              archive file is local even if has a colon
 
       --rsh-command=COMMAND
              use remote COMMAND instead of rsh
 
       -[0-7][lmh]
              specify drive and density
 
       -M, --multi-volume
              create/list/extract multi-volume archive
 
       -L, --tape-length=NUM
              change tape after writing NUM x 1024 bytes
 
       -F, --info-script=FILE
              run script at end of each tape (implies -M)
 
       --new-volume-script=FILE
              same as -F FILE
 
       --volno-file=FILE
              use/update the volume number in FILE
 
   Device blocking:
       -b, --blocking-factor=BLOCKS
              BLOCKS x 512 bytes per record
 
       --record-size=SIZE
              SIZE bytes per record, multiple of 512
 
       -i, --ignore-zeros
              ignore zeroed blocks in archive (means EOF)
 
       -B, --read-full-records
              reblock as we read (for 4.2BSD pipes)
 
   Archive format selection:
       -V, --label=NAME
              create archive with volume name NAME
 
       PATTERN
              at list/extract time, a globbing PATTERN
 
       -o, --old-archive, --portability
              write a V7 format archive
 
       --posix
              write a POSIX conformant archive
 
       -z, --gzip, --ungzip
              filter the archive through gzip
 
       -Z, --compress, --uncompress
              filter the archive through compress
 
       --use-compress-program=PROG
              filter through PROG (must accept -d)
 
   Local file selection:
       -C, --directory=DIR
              change to directory DIR
 
       -T, --files-from=NAME
              get names to extract or create from file NAME
 
       --null -T reads null-terminated names, disable -C
 
       --exclude=PATTERN
              exclude files, given as a globbing PATTERN
 
       -X, --exclude-from=FILE
              exclude globbing patterns listed in FILE
 
       -P, --absolute-names
              don't strip leading `/'s from file names
 
       -h, --dereference
              dump instead the files symlinks point to
 
       --no-recursion
              avoid descending automatically in directories
 
       -l, --one-file-system
              stay in local file system when creating archive
 
       -K, --starting-file=NAME
              begin at file NAME in the archive
 
       -N, --newer=DATE
              only store files newer than DATE
 
       --newer-mtime
              compare date and time when data changed only
 
       --after-date=DATE
              same as -N
 
       --backup[=CONTROL]
              backup before removal, choose version control
 
       --suffix=SUFFIX
              backup before removel, override usual suffix
 
   Informative output:
       --help print this help, then exit
 
       --version
              print tar program version number, then exit
 
       -v, --verbose
              verbosely list files processed
 
       --checkpoint
              print directory names while reading the archive
 
       --totals
              print total bytes written while creating archive
 
       -R, --block-number
              show block number within archive with each mes-
              sage
 
       -w, --interactive
              ask for confirmation for every action
 
       --confirmation
              same as -w
 
       The backup suffix is `~', unless set with --suffix or
       SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control may be set
       with --backup or VERSION_CONTROL, values are:
 
       t, numbered
              make numbered backups
 
       nil, existing
              numbered if numbered backups exist, simple other-
              wise
 
       never, simple
              always make simple backups
 
       GNU tar cannot read nor produce `--posix' archives. If
       POSIXLY_CORRECT is set in the environment, GNU exten-
       sions are disallowed with `--posix'. Support for POSIX
       is only partially implemented, don't count on it yet.
       ARCHIVE may be FILE, HOST:FILE or USER@HOST:FILE; and
       FILE may be a file or a device. *This* `tar' defaults
       to `-f- -b20'.
 
AUTHOR
       Written by John Gilmore and Jay Fenlason.
 
REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to <tar-bugs@gnu.org>.
 
COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (C) 1988, 92,93,94,95,96,97,98, 1999 Free
       Software Foundation, Inc.
       This is free software; see the source for copying condi-
       tions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABIL-
       ITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 
SEE ALSO
       The full documentation for tar is maintained as a Tex-
       info manual. If the info and tar programs are properly
       installed at your site, the command
 
              info tar
 
       should give you access to the complete manual.
 
 
 
GNU tar 1.13 April 2003 TAR(1)