GNU Info

(tar.info)assumptions

---

Next: stylistic conventions Up: Tutorial

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Assumptions this Tutorial Makes
===============================

   This chapter is paced to allow beginners to learn about `tar'
slowly.  At the same time, we will try to cover all the basic aspects of
these three operations.  In order to accomplish both of these tasks, we
have made certain assumptions about your knowledge before reading this
manual, and the hardware you will be using:

   * Before you start to work through this tutorial, you should
     understand what the terms "archive" and "archive member" mean
     (Note: Definitions).  In addition, you should understand
     something about how Unix-type operating systems work, and you
     should know how to use some basic utilities.  For example, you
     should know how to create, list, copy, rename, edit, and delete
     files and directories; how to change between directories; and how
     to figure out where you are in the filesystem.  You should have
     some basic understanding of directory structure and how files are
     named according to which directory they are in.  You should
     understand concepts such as standard output and standard input,
     what various definitions of the term "argument" mean, and the
     differences between relative and absolute path names.

   * This manual assumes that you are working from your own home
     directory (unless we state otherwise).  In this tutorial, you will
     create a directory to practice `tar' commands in.  When we show
     path names, we will assume that those paths are relative to your
     home directory.  For example, my home directory path is
     `/home/fsf/melissa'.  All of my examples are in a subdirectory of
     the directory named by that path name; the subdirectory is called
     `practice'.

   * In general, we show examples of archives which exist on (or can be
     written to, or worked with from) a directory on a hard disk.  In
     most cases, you could write those archives to, or work with them
     on any other device, such as a tape drive.  However, some of the
     later examples in the tutorial and next chapter will not work on
     tape drives.  Additionally, working with tapes is much more
     complicated than working with hard disks.  For these reasons, the
     tutorial does not cover working with tape drives.  Note: Media,
     for complete information on using `tar' archives with tape drives.