bug#5918: [dd] conv=sparse option

[Jim Meyering]

Pádraig Brady wrote:
> On 10/04/10 01:28, Heinrich Langos wrote:
>> Hello Andreas, Samuel and list,
>>
>> sorry to pick up such an old thread, but I stumbled upon it while
>> looking for an efficient way to "re-sparse" files that contain a
>> lot of zero blocks but
>> 1) had already been expanded
>> or
>> 2) are being expanded due to pipes.
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 30, 2007 at 10:19:54AM +0100, Andreas Schwab wrote:
>>> Samuel Thibault <address@hidden> writes:
>>>
>>>> Some time ago, I wrote a conv=sparse option for dd, attached is the
>>>> patch.
>>>
>>> How is it different from cp --sparse=always?
>>
>> I'd say in enough ways to make such an option highly desirable.
>>
>> a) "dd" will maintain an existing of=target file including the inode
>>    number, thus respecting existing hard links. "cp" will depending
>>    on the other options given (e.g. "-a") maintain or break existing
>>    hard links to an existing target file.
>
> I don't think that's possible as holes can only be created at the end of a 
> file.
> Well I think NTFS supports punching holes in the "middle" but it's not common.

I would like at least cp to be able to copy sparse files efficiently,
and considering the FIEMAP patches that Jeff Liu is working on, we
don't have long to wait.

BTW, I'm pretty sure it is possible to punch a hole in the middle of
a file with XFS.  Maybe with other CoW file systems, too?