fjh@bentley.UUCP (FJ Hirsch) (08/21/84)
As Guy Harris has pointed out - there really is no compatability problem between Berkeley Tar and V tar. As I understand it the issues are these, all of which can be avoided if in writing the tape you take the correct actions: 1. blocking factor Berkeley Tar may use a larger block seperator (System V tar has a limit on the size of this) The following works (I've done it): dd if=/dev/rmt11 ibs=40k | tar -xvf 2. pathnames are written on Berkeley Tar tapes ending in / to create empty directories. System V tar complains but it causes no problem. 3. Berkeley Tar writes directory and owner modes on tape. Using the -o option prevents this. Moreover, even so you can list the contents of the tape: dd if=/dev/rmt11 ibs=40k | tar -tvf create all the directories by hand with 777 permissions and then read the tape with no problem since it is not creating any directories. You don't need to be root to do this. Thanks for all responding - I did read the tape although I didn't mean to scare everybody about tar. Thanks to Guy Harris for explaining Berkeley Tar and to Ted Ciesla for suggesting the dd approach given above. Send me Mail if I'm still confused. -- <*> Fred Hirsch <*> AT&T Bell Laboratories <*> ihnp4!bentley!fjh <*>