GNU Info
(tar.info)Option Summary
`tar' Options
-------------
`--absolute-names'
`-P'
Normally when creating an archive, `tar' strips an initial `/' from
member names. This option disables that behavior.
`--after-date'
(See `--newer'.)
`--anchored'
An exclude pattern must match an initial subsequence of the name's
components.
`--atime-preserve'
Tells `tar' to preserve the access time field in a file's inode
when reading it. Due to limitations in the `utimes' system call,
the modification time field is also preserved, which may cause
problems if the file is simultaneously being modified by another
program. This option is incompatible with incremental backups,
because preserving the access time involves updating the
last-changed time. Also, this option does not work on files that
you do not own, unless you're root.
`--backup=BACKUP-TYPE'
Rather than deleting files from the file system, `tar' will back
them up using simple or numbered backups, depending upon
BACKUP-TYPE.
`--block-number'
`-R'
With this option present, `tar' prints error messages for read
errors with the block number in the archive file.
`--blocking-factor=BLOCKING'
`-b BLOCKING'
Sets the blocking factor `tar' uses to BLOCKING x 512 bytes per
record.
`--bzip2'
`-j'
This option tells `tar' to read or write archives through `bzip2'.
`--checkpoint'
This option directs `tar' to print periodic checkpoint messages as
it reads through the archive. Its intended for when you want a
visual indication that `tar' is still running, but don't want to
see `--verbose' output.
`--compress'
`--uncompress'
`-Z'
`tar' will use the `compress' program when reading or writing the
archive. This allows you to directly act on archives while saving
space.
`--confirmation'
(See `--interactive'.)
`--dereference'
`-h'
When creating a `tar' archive, `tar' will archive the file that a
symbolic link points to, rather than archiving the symlink.
`--directory=DIR'
`-C DIR'
When this option is specified, `tar' will change its current
directory to DIR before performing any operations. When this
option is used during archive creation, it is order sensitive.
`--exclude=PATTERN'
When performing operations, `tar' will skip files that match
PATTERN.
`--exclude-from=FILE'
`-X FILE'
Similar to `--exclude', except `tar' will use the list of patterns
in the file FILE.
`--file=ARCHIVE'
`-f ARCHIVE'
`tar' will use the file ARCHIVE as the `tar' archive it performs
operations on, rather than `tar''s compilation dependent default.
`--files-from=FILE'
`-T FILE'
`tar' will use the contents of FILE as a list of archive members
or files to operate on, in addition to those specified on the
command-line.
`--force-local'
Forces `tar' to interpret the filename given to `--file' as a local
file, even if it looks like a remote tape drive name.
`--group=GROUP'
Files added to the `tar' archive will have a group id of GROUP,
rather than the group from the source file. GROUP is first decoded
as a group symbolic name, but if this interpretation fails, it has
to be a decimal numeric group ID.
Also see the comments for the `--owner=USER' option.
`--gunzip'
(See `--gzip'.)
`--gzip'
`--gunzip'
`--ungzip'
`-z'
This option tells `tar' to read or write archives through `gzip',
allowing `tar' to directly operate on several kinds of compressed
archives transparently.
`--help'
`tar' will print out a short message summarizing the operations and
options to `tar' and exit.
`--ignore-case'
Ignore case when excluding files.
`--ignore-failed-read'
Do not exit unsuccessfully merely because an unreadable file was
encountered. Note: Reading.
`--ignore-zeros'
`-i'
With this option, `tar' will ignore zeroed blocks in the archive,
which normally signals EOF. Note: Reading.
`--incremental'
`-G'
Used to inform `tar' that it is working with an old GNU-format
incremental backup archive. It is intended primarily for backwards
compatibility only.
`--info-script=SCRIPT-FILE'
`--new-volume-script=SCRIPT-FILE'
`-F SCRIPT-FILE'
When `tar' is performing multi-tape backups, SCRIPT-FILE is run at
the end of each tape. If SCRIPT-FILE exits with nonzero status,
`tar' fails immediately.
`--interactive'
`--confirmation'
`-w'
Specifies that `tar' should ask the user for confirmation before
performing potentially destructive options, such as overwriting
files.
`--keep-old-files'
`-k'
Do not overwrite existing files when extracting files from an
archive. Note: Writing.
`--label=NAME'
`-V NAME'
When creating an archive, instructs `tar' to write NAME as a name
record in the archive. When extracting or listing archives, `tar'
will only operate on archives that have a label matching the
pattern specified in NAME.
`--listed-incremental=SNAPSHOT-FILE'
`-g SNAPSHOT-FILE'
During a `--create' operation, specifies that the archive that
`tar' creates is a new GNU-format incremental backup, using
SNAPSHOT-FILE to determine which files to backup. With other
operations, informs `tar' that the archive is in incremental
format.
`--mode=PERMISSIONS'
When adding files to an archive, `tar' will use PERMISSIONS for
the archive members, rather than the permissions from the files.
The program `chmod' and this `tar' option share the same syntax
for what PERMISSIONS might be. Note: Permissions.
This reference also has useful information for those
not being overly familiar with the Unix permission system.
Of course, PERMISSIONS might be plainly specified as an octal
number. However, by using generic symbolic modifications to mode
bits, this allows more flexibility. For example, the value `a+rw'
adds read and write permissions for everybody, while retaining
executable bits on directories or on any other file already marked
as executable.
`--multi-volume'
`-M'
Informs `tar' that it should create or otherwise operate on a
multi-volume `tar' archive.
`--new-volume-script'
(see -info-script)
`--newer=DATE'
`--after-date=DATE'
`-N'
When creating an archive, `tar' will only add files that have
changed since DATE. If DATE begins with `/' or `.', it is taken
to be the name of a file whose last-modified time specifies the
date.
`--newer-mtime=DATE'
Like `--newer', but add only files whose contents have changed (as
opposed to just `--newer', which will also back up files for which
any status information has changed).
`--no-anchored'
An exclude pattern can match any subsequence of the name's
components.
`--no-ignore-case'
Use case-sensitive matching when excluding files.
`--no-recursion'
With this option, `tar' will not recurse into directories.
`--no-same-owner'
When extracting an archive, do not attempt to preserve the owner
specified in the `tar' archive. This the default behavior for
ordinary users; this option has an effect only for the superuser.
`--no-same-permissions'
When extracting an archive, subtract the user's umask from files
from the permissions specified in the archive. This is the
default behavior for ordinary users; this option has an effect
only for the superuser.
`--no-wildcards'
Do not use wildcards when excluding files.
`--no-wildcards-match-slash'
Wildcards do not match `/' when excluding files.
`--null'
When `tar' is using the `--files-from' option, this option
instructs `tar' to expect filenames terminated with `NUL', so
`tar' can correctly work with file names that contain newlines.
`--numeric-owner'
This option will notify `tar' that it should use numeric user and
group IDs when creating a `tar' file, rather than names.
`--old-archive'
(See `--portability'.)
`--one-file-system'
`-l'
Used when creating an archive. Prevents `tar' from recursing into
directories that are on different file systems from the current
directory.
`--overwrite'
Overwrite existing files and directory metadata when extracting
files from an archive. Note: Overwrite Old Files.
`--overwrite-dir'
Overwrite the metadata of existing directories when extracting
files from an archive. Note: Overwrite Old Files.
`--owner=USER'
Specifies that `tar' should use USER as the owner of members when
creating archives, instead of the user associated with the source
file. USER is first decoded as a user symbolic name, but if this
interpretation fails, it has to be a decimal numeric user ID.
There is no value indicating a missing number, and `0' usually
means `root'. Some people like to force `0' as the value to offer
in their distributions for the owner of files, because the `root'
user is anonymous anyway, so that might as well be the owner of
anonymous archives.
This option does not affect extraction from archives.
`--portability'
`--old-archive'
`-o'
Tells `tar' to create an archive that is compatible with Unix V7
`tar'.
`--posix'
Instructs `tar' to create a POSIX compliant `tar' archive.
`--preserve'
Synonymous with specifying both `--preserve-permissions' and
`--same-order'.
`--preserve-order'
(See `--same-order'; Note: Reading.)
`--preserve-permissions'
`--same-permissions'
`-p'
When `tar' is extracting an archive, it normally subtracts the
users' umask from the permissions specified in the archive and
uses that number as the permissions to create the destination
file. Specifying this option instructs `tar' that it should use
the permissions directly from the archive. Note: Writing.
`--read-full-records'
`-B'
Specifies that `tar' should reblock its input, for reading from
pipes on systems with buggy implementations. Note: Reading.
`--record-size=SIZE'
Instructs `tar' to use SIZE bytes per record when accessing the
archive.
`--recursion'
With this option, `tar' recurses into directories.
`--recursive-unlink'
Remove existing directory hierarchies before extracting
directories of the same name from the archive. Note: Writing.
`--remove-files'
Directs `tar' to remove the source file from the file system after
appending it to an archive.
`--rsh-command=CMD'
Notifies `tar' that is should use CMD to communicate with remote
devices.
`--same-order'
`--preserve-order'
`-s'
This option is an optimization for `tar' when running on machines
with small amounts of memory. It informs `tar' that the list of
file arguments has already been sorted to match the order of files
in the archive. Note: Reading.
`--same-owner'
When extracting an archive, `tar' will attempt to preserve the
owner specified in the `tar' archive with this option present.
This is the default behavior for the superuser; this option has an
effect only for ordinary users.
`--same-permissions'
(See `--preserve-permissions'; Note: Writing.)
`--show-omitted-dirs'
Instructs `tar' to mention directories its skipping over when
operating on a `tar' archive.
`--sparse'
`-S'
Invokes a GNU extension when adding files to an archive that
handles sparse files efficiently.
`--starting-file=NAME'
`-K NAME'
This option affects extraction only; `tar' will skip extracting
files in the archive until it finds one that matches NAME. Note:
Scarce.
`--suffix=SUFFIX'
Alters the suffix `tar' uses when backing up files from the default
`~'.
`--tape-length=NUM'
`-L NUM'
Specifies the length of tapes that `tar' is writing as being
NUM x 1024 bytes long.
`--to-stdout'
`-O'
During extraction, `tar' will extract files to stdout rather than
to the file system. Note: Writing.
`--totals'
Displays the total number of bytes written after creating an
archive.
`--touch'
`-m'
Sets the modification time of extracted files to the extraction
time, rather than the modification time stored in the archive.
Note: Writing.
`--uncompress'
(See `--compress'.)
`--ungzip'
(See `--gzip'.)
`--unlink-first'
`-U'
Directs `tar' to remove the corresponding file from the file
system before extracting it from the archive. Note: Writing.
`--use-compress-program=PROG'
Instructs `tar' to access the archive through PROG, which is
presumed to be a compression program of some sort.
`--verbose'
`-v'
Specifies that `tar' should be more verbose about the operations
its performing. This option can be specified multiple times for
some operations to increase the amount of information displayed.
`--verify'
`-W'
Verifies that the archive was correctly written when creating an
archive.
`--version'
`tar' will print an informational message about what version it is
and a copyright message, some credits, and then exit.
`--volno-file=FILE'
Used in conjunction with `--multi-volume'. `tar' will keep track
of which volume of a multi-volume archive its working in FILE.
`--wildcards'
Use wildcards when excluding files.
`--wildcards-match-slash'
Wildcards match `/' when excluding files.
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