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tar

TAR(1)                                                                  TAR(1)



NAME
       tar - The GNU version of the tar archiving utility

SYNOPSIS
       tar  [ - ] A --catenate --concatenate | c --create | d --diff --compare
       | r --append | t --list | u --update | x -extract --get [  --atime-pre-
       serve  ]  [  -b,  --block-size  N  ]  [  -B, --read-full-blocks ] [ -C,
       --directory DIR ] [ --checkpoint    ] [ -f,  --file  [HOSTNAME:]F  ]  [
       --force-local    ]  [ -F, --info-script F --new-volume-script F ] [ -G,
       --incremental ] [ -g, --listed-incremental F ] [ -h, --dereference ]  [
       -i,  --ignore-zeros ] [ -j, -I, --bzip ] [ --ignore-failed-read ] [ -k,
       --keep-old-files ] [ -K, --starting-file F ] [ -l, --one-file-system  ]
       [  -L, --tape-length N ] [ -m, --modification-time ] [ -M, --multi-vol-
       ume ] [ -N, --after-date DATE, --newer  DATE  ]  [  -o,  --old-archive,
       --portability  ]  [  -O, --to-stdout ] [ -p, --same-permissions, --pre-
       serve-permissions ] [ -P, --absolute-paths ] [ --preserve      ] [  -R,
       --record-number  ]  [  --remove-files ] [ -s, --same-order, --preserve-
       order ] [ --same-owner ] [ -S, --sparse ]  [  -T,  --files-from=F  ]  [
       --null      ]  [  --totals   ] [ -v, --verbose ] [ -V, --label NAME ] [
       --version  ] [ -w, --interactive, --confirmation ] [ -W, --verify     ]
       [  --exclude  FILE  ]  [  -X,  --exclude-from  FILE ] [ -Z, --compress,
       --uncompress ] [ -z, --gzip, --ungzip      ]  [  --use-compress-program
       PROG ] [ --block-compress ] [ -[0-7][lmh]     ]

       filename1 [ filename2, ... filenameN ]

       directory1 [ directory2, ...directoryN ]

DESCRIPTION
       This  manual  page documents the GNU version of tar , an archiving pro-
       gram designed to store and extract files from an archive file known  as
       a  tarfile.  A tarfile may be made on a tape drive, however, it is also
       common to write a tarfile to a normal file.  The first argument to  tar
       must  be  one  of  the options: Acdrtux, followed by any optional func-
       tions.  The final arguments to tar are the names of the files or direc-
       tories  which  should  be  archived. The use of a directory name always
       implies that  the  subdirectories  below  should  be  included  in  the
       archive.

FUNCTION LETTERS
       One of the following options must be used:

       -A, --catenate, --concatenate
              append tar files to an archive

       -c, --create
              create a new archive

       -d, --diff, --compare
              find differences between archive and file system

       --delete
              delete from the archive (not for use on mag tapes!)

       -r, --append
              append files to the end of an archive

       -t, --list
              list the contents of an archive

       -u, --update
              only append files that are newer than copy in archive

       -x, --extract, --get
              extract files from an archive

OTHER OPTIONS
       --atime-preserve
              don't change access times on dumped files

       -b, --block-size N
              block size of Nx512 bytes (default N=20)

       -B, --read-full-blocks
              reblock as we read (for reading 4.2BSD pipes)

       -C, --directory DIR
              change to directory DIR

       --checkpoint
              print directory names while reading the archive

       -f, --file [HOSTNAME:]F
              use archive file or device F (default /dev/rmt0)

       --force-local
              archive file is local even if has a colon

       -F, --info-script F --new-volume-script F
              run script at end of each tape (implies -M)

       -G, --incremental
              create/list/extract old GNU-format incremental backup

       -g, --listed-incremental F
              create/list/extract new GNU-format incremental backup

       -h, --dereference
              don't dump symlinks; dump the files they point to

       -i, --ignore-zeros
              ignore blocks of zeros in archive (normally mean EOF)

       -j, -I, --bzip
              filter the archive through bzip2. Note: -I is deprecated and may
              get a different meaning in the near future.

       --ignore-failed-read
              don't exit with non-zero status on unreadable files

       -k, --keep-old-files
              keep existing files; don't overwrite them from archive

       -K, --starting-file F
              begin at file F in the archive

       -l, --one-file-system
              stay in local file system when creating an archive

       -L, --tape-length N
              change tapes after writing N*1024 bytes

       -m, --modification-time
              don't extract file modified time

       -M, --multi-volume
              create/list/extract multi-volume archive

       -N, --after-date DATE, --newer DATE
              only store files newer than DATE

       -o, --old-archive, --portability
              write a V7 format archive, rather than ANSI format

       -O, --to-stdout
              extract files to standard output

       -p, --same-permissions, --preserve-permissions
              extract all protection information

       -P, --absolute-paths
              don't strip leading `/'s from file names

       --preserve
              like -p -s

       -R, --record-number
              show record number within archive with each message

       --remove-files
              remove files after adding them to the archive

       -s, --same-order, --preserve-order
              list of names to extract is sorted to match archive

       --same-owner
              create extracted files with the same ownership

       -S, --sparse
              handle sparse files efficiently

       -T, --files-from=F
              get names to extract or create from file F

       --null
              -T reads null-terminated names, disable -C

       --totals
              print total bytes written with --create

       -v, --verbose
              verbosely list files processed

       -V, --label NAME
              create archive with volume name NAME

       --version
              print tar program version number

       -w, --interactive, --confirmation
              ask for confirmation for every action

       -W, --verify
              attempt to verify the archive after writing it

       --exclude FILE
              exclude file FILE

       -X, --exclude-from FILE
              exclude files listed in FILE

       -Z, --compress, --uncompress
              filter the archive through compress

       -z, --gzip, --ungzip
              filter the archive through gzip

       --use-compress-program PROG
              filter the archive through PROG (which must accept -d)



                                30 October 2000                         TAR(1)