[kwlug-disc] tar replacement

Jason Eckert jason.eckert at gmail.com
Sat Dec 28 15:21:21 EST 2019


I use cpio a great deal.
Since you have to generate a list of files to be sent to cpio via stdin,
you won't have the same issues with tar.

On Sat, Dec 28, 2019 at 3:07 PM Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc <
kwlug-disc at kwlug.org> wrote:

> I am sick and tired of tar. Using it for anything nontrivial is a
> nightmare, because its user interface is so bad and so finicky.
> (Example: --exclude='some/path' fails, but --exclude=some/path works.
> Meanwhile, --exclude=some/path/ also fails. But it always fails if it
> is in the wrong spot of the command, just because there is a secret
> ordering you have to remember. UGH.)
>
> Unfortunately tar is ubiquitous, so I am not getting rid of it anytime
> soon. But is there something else that is good and has a sane
> commandline interface?
>
> - Creates archives
> - Allows flexible inclusions and exclusions
> - Probably compresses files, although I don't mind piping to gzip or
>   bzip2 or xz
> - Easily available in Linux systems (ie packaged for Debian/Ubuntu)
> - Friendly to being used in scripts (even shell scripts, which are
>   their own abomination).
>
> Probably I have more requirements but this is enough for now.
>
> Maybe p7zip is the best contender as a replacement?
>
> - Paul
>
>
> --
> Get tech event listings: https://off-topic.kwlug.org/watcamp
> Blog: http://pnijjar.freeshell.org
>
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