[comp.os.minix] Tar misfeature

guest@cgl.ucsf.edu (thos) (01/25/91)

In article <klamer.664618510@mi.eltn.utwente.nl>, klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) writes:
> 
> Description of minix-tar failing to extract files when the parent directories
> do not exist.
> 
> >The result will be   tar: Header checksum error.
> I admit, this is not the nicest error i can think of.
> 
> The behaviour as minix tar has is as i interpreted POSIX 1003.1.
> When the minix community (that's you!) wants the unix behaviour
> (i.e. making parent directories of files to be extracted when not existing)
> i will fix this.
> 
> Please mail votes to klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl

Mail to this address bounced because utwente.nl said the subdomain
mi.eltn did not exist.

I have tried working with tar versions which did not do directory
creation on old versions of Unix.

They are a pain; I consider such a misfeature unacceptable.

In any case, a correct diagnostic should be given when there is
a failure.

Thos Sumner (thos@cca.ucsf.edu)