Hi,

I need a script that will read in a file containing directories that I want backed up, tar each of those directories seperately and store in a single directory.

I can't write a script very well and am desperate for some hints.

Matt

Though what you want is fairly simple, for the moment I've forgotten the way to write a PERL for loop (to go through the backup list).

Have a look at this page. Some of these scripts might be overkill for what you want but they look like the might be useful
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Software/Backup/Scripts/

Can you elaborate on the bit I highlighted in bold?
I don't quite understand what you're up to...


Cheers,
Tink

I want to store each of the outputted *.tar files into a single directory. Make sense?

Nope :}

All of them together in one directory, or each in an
individual directory?


Cheers,
Tink

This is what he wants:

Take /etc /var /usr

and make:

/backup/etc.tar
/backup/var.tar
/backup/usr.tar


...for example.

What you are looking for already exists. DAR . I searched for 4 years for something to give me backups my way. I found it in DAR.
Once you get the config worked out (takes a bit of study and practice), you will have a backup in which each file is compressed individually. Dar allows you to specify files to exclude from compression (because they're already compressed); directories to backup the tree, but leave out the files; directories in include/exclude; the list goes on.
Restoration is easy, and works like a charm.
My 6 gig setup ends up as 2.7 gig in the backup file.

Dar is command-line. The GUI version is Kdar.

Sweet! Thanks for the info!

Peace...