Re: Extensions to Tar

[Paul Eggert]

> From: Chris Wilson <address@hidden>
> Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 00:19:09 +0100 (BST)
> 
> I examined star, and it doesn't appear to use the 'E' or 'Y' type for 
> anything. Then again, I could well be wrong, since I didn't find the code 
> easy to read (most of the comments are in German?!)

Joerg Schilling recently wrote to me that Solaris tar uses 'E' for
extended attributes like ACLs.  I don't know of anyone using 'Y'.

> Yes, I meant that rmt has that problem. I've since tried it and decided it 
> is unsuitable for use on large files (as opposed to tapes): I don't 
> think it can work around the 2Gb file size limit on Linux

Sorry, you've lost me here.  If rmt cannot work with large files, how
can some other program do it?  rmt uses large-file support if
available.

> and the archives cannot shrink, only grow (or at best stay the same
> size).

Could this be fixed by extending rmt to have new commands that
truncate the remote file?

> I've got my boss's signature to donate the code, now I just have to print 
> the forms and sign them. Oh, and fix bugs =)

That's always fun...