About Tar

ust · 09-29-2003, 05:12 AM

I used the tar command "tar -zcvf " to backup some files ( eg. file a , file b , file c , file d ... ) to a .tgz file , is it possible to extract one of file in this tgz file instead to use "tar -zxvf" to extract all the files ? thx

WiZaC · 09-29-2003, 05:53 AM

Yeah, If you use a program, like midnight commander or something :] I dont know exactly what program, who is the best, to linux! =) but yes, you can extract one file or something, then you dont need to extract all the shit =)
WiZaC

JamesM · 09-29-2003, 06:37 AM

"tar -zxvf [archive.name] [filename.within.archive]"

NB
it takes almost as long as extracting the whole archive!

fsbooks · 09-29-2003, 06:45 AM

Yes, the extraction probably only saves the io for writing the output files. tar is not a random access archive, but was designed for tapes. It probably stood for Tape ARchive, though I always think of it as tar as in road, just one long endless strip. To get to where you are going you have to travel the whole road.

Forgive this mindless blither in the morning before coffee.

coolguy · 09-29-2003, 08:30 AM

sorry no idea

JamesM · 09-29-2003, 08:40 AM

Huh?

What's the point of telling us you don't know?