(tar)Absolute File Names

Changing Directory

Selection Options

Absolute File Names
-------------------

     *(This message will disappear, once this node revised.)*

   When `tar' extracts archive members from an archive, it strips any
leading slashes (`/') from the member name.  This causes absolute
member names in the archive to be treated as relative file names.  This
allows you to have such members extracted wherever you want, instead of
being restricted to extracting the member in the exact directory named
in the archive.  For example, if the archive member has the name
`/etc/passwd', `tar' will extract it as if the name were really
`etc/passwd'.

   Other `tar' programs do not do this.  As a result, if you create an
archive whose member names start with a slash, they will be difficult
for other people with an inferior `tar' program to use.  Therefore, GNU
`tar' also strips leading slashes from member names when putting
members into the archive.  For example, if you ask `tar' to add the
file `/bin/ls' to an archive, it will do so, but the member name will
be `bin/ls'.

   If you use the `--absolute-names' (`-P') option, `tar' will do
neither of these transformations.

FIXME: is this what this does, or does it just preserve the slash?

   To archive or extract files relative to the root directory, specify
the `--absolute-names' (`-P') option.

   Normally, `tar' acts on files relative to the working
directory--ignoring superior directory names when archiving, and
ignoring leading slashes when extracting.

   When you specify `--absolute-names' (`-P'), `tar' stores file names
including all superior directory names, and preserves leading slashes.
If you only invoked `tar' from the root directory you would never need
the `--absolute-names' (`-P') option, but using this option may be more
convenient than switching to root.

FIXME: should be an example in the tutorial/wizardry section using this
FIXME: to transfer files between systems.

FIXME: is write access an issue?

`--absolute-names'
     Preserves full file names (inclusing superior dirctory names) when
     archiving files.  Preserves leading slash when extracting files.