(tar)Options

Option Styles

Invoking tar

All Available Options
=====================

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

   Options change the way `tar' performs an operation.

`--absolute-names'
`--after-date=DATE'
     Limit the operation to files changed after the given date.

     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`--block-size=NUMBER'
     Specify the blocking factor of an archive.
     FIXME: xref Blocking Factor
     .

`--compress'
     Specify a compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .

`--compress-block.'
     Create a whole block sized compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .

`--confirmation'
     Solicit confirmation for each file.
     FIXME: xref Interactive Operation

     FIXME: --selective should be a synonym.

`--dereference'
     Treat a symbolic link as an alternate name for the file the link
     points to.
     FIXME: xref Symbolic Links
     .

`--directory=`directory''
     Change the working directory.
     FIXME: xref Changing Working Directory
     .

`--exclude=PATTERN'
     Exclude files which match the regular expression PATTERN.

     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`--exclude-from=`file''
     Exclude files which match any of the regular expressions listed in
     the file `file'.
     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`--file=ARCHIVE-NAME'
     Name the archive.
     FIXME: xref Archive Name
     ).

`--files-from=`file''
     Read file name arguments from a file on the file system.

     FIXME: xref File Name Lists
     .

`--ignore-umask'
     Set modes of extracted files to those recorded in the archive.

     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--ignore-zeros'
     Ignore end-of-archive entries.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     .
     FIXME: this should be changed to --ignore-end

`--tape-length=N  (-L)'
     FIXME: alternate way of doing multi archive, will go to that length and
     FIXME: prompts for new tape, automatically turns on multi-volume.  this
     FIXME: needs to be written into main body as well

`--info-script=PROGRAM-FILE'
     Create a multi-volume archive via a script.
     FIXME: xref Multi-Volume Archives
     .

`--interactive'
     Ask for confirmation before performing any operation on a file or
     archive member.

`--keep-old-files'
     Prevent overwriting during extraction.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--label=ARCHIVE-LABEL'
     Include an archive-label in the archive being created.
     FIXME: xref Archive
     Label
     .

`--modification-time'
     Set the modification time of extracted files to the time they were
     extracted.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--multi-volume'
     Specify a multi-volume archive.
     FIXME: xref Multi-Volume Archives
     .

`--newer=DATE'
     Limit the operation to files changed after the given date.

     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`--newer-mtime=DATE'
     Limit the operation to files modified after the given date.
     FIXME: xref File
     Exclusion
     .

`--old'
     Create an old format archive.
     FIXME: xref Old Style File Information
     .
     FIXME: did we agree this should go away as a synonym?

`--old-archive'
     Create an old format archive.
     FIXME: xref Old Style File Information
     .

`--one-file-system'
     Prevent `tar' from crossing file system boundaries when archiving.
     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`--portability'
     Create an old format archive.
     FIXME: xref Old Style File Information
     .
     FIXME: was portability, may still need to be changed

`--preserve-order'
     Help process large lists of file names on machines with small
     amounts of memory.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     .

`--preserve-permission'
     Set modes of extracted files to those recorded in the archive.

     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--read-full-blocks'
     Read an archive with a smaller than specified block size or which
     contains incomplete blocks.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     ).
     FIXME: should be --partial-blocks (!)

`--record-number'
     Print the record number where a message is generated.

     FIXME: xref Additional Information
     .

`--same-order'
     Help process large lists of file names on machines with small
     amounts of memory.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     .

`--same-permission'
     Set the modes of extracted files to those recorded in the archive.

     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--sparse'
     Archive sparse files sparsely.
     FIXME: xref Sparse Files
     .

`--starting-file=FILE NAME'
     Begin reading in the middle of an archive.
     FIXME: xref Scarce Disk Space
     .

`--to-stdout'
     Write files to the standard output.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`--uncompress'
     Specifdo  a compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .

`-V ARCHIVE-LABEL'
     Include an archive-label in the archive being created.
     FIXME: xref Archive
     Label
     .
     FIXME: was --volume

`--verbose'
     Print the names of files or archive members as they are being
     operated on.
     FIXME: xref Additional Information
     .

`--verify'
     Check for discrepancies in the archive immediately after it is
     written.
     FIXME: xref Write Verification
     .

`-B'
     Read an archive with a smaller than specified block size or which
     contains incomplete blocks.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     ).

`-K FILE NAME'
     Begin reading in the middle of an archive.
     FIXME: xref Scarce Disk Space
     .

`-M'
     Specify a multi-volume archive.
     FIXME: xref Multi-Volume Archives
     .

`-N DATE'
     Limit operation to files changed after the given date.
     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`-O'
     Write files to the standard output.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

     FIXME: - P is absolute names, add when resolved.

`-R'
     Print the record number where a message is generated.

     FIXME: xref Additional Information
     .

`-S'
     Archive sparse files sparsely.
     FIXME: xref Sparse Files
     .

`-T FILE'
     Read file name arguments from a file on the file system.

     FIXME: xref File Name Lists
     .

`-W'
     Check for discrepancies in the archive immediately after it is
     written.
     FIXME: xref Write Verification
     .

`-Z'
     Specify a compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .

`-b NUMBER'
     Specify the blocking factor of an archive.
     FIXME: xref Blocking Factor
     .

`-f ARCHIVE-NAME'
     Name the archive.
     FIXME: xref Archive Name
     ).

`-h'
     Treat a symbolic link as an alternate name for the file the link
     points to.
     FIXME: xref Symbolic Links
     .

`-i'
     Ignore end-of-archive entries.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     .

`-k'
     Prevent overwriting during extraction.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`-l'
     Prevent `tar' from crossing file system boundaries when archiving.
     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

`-m'
     Set the modification time of extracted files to the time they were
     extracted.
     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`-o'
     Create an old format archive.
     FIXME: xref Old Style File Information
     .

`-p'
     Set the modes of extracted files to those recorded in the archive.

     FIXME: xref File Writing Options
     .

`-s'
     Help process large lists of file names on machines with small
     amounts of memory.
     FIXME: xref Archive Reading Options
     .

`-v'
     Print the names of files or archive members they are being operated
     on.
     FIXME: xref Additional Information
     .

`-w'
     FIXME: see --interactive.

`-z'
     Specify a compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .

`-z -z'
     Create a whole block sized compressed archive.
     FIXME: xref Compressed Archives
     .
     FIXME: I would rather this were -Z.  it is the only double letter short
     FIXME: form.

`-C `directory''
     Change the working directory.
     FIXME: xref Changing Working Directory
     .

`-F PROGRAM-FILE'
     Create a multi-volume archive via a script.
     FIXME: xref Multi-Volume Archives
     .

`-X `file''
     Exclude files which match any of the regular expressions listed in
     the file `file'.
     FIXME: xref File Exclusion
     .

Device Options

Blocking Options

Classification Options