Strange behavior with tar


 
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Operating Systems AIX Strange behavior with tar
# 1  
Old 04-16-2014
Strange behavior with tar

I am trying to create an archive using tar. I am specifying a list of directories using the -L option. For testing purposes I created a simple directory structure:
Code:
/backup/test
/backup/test/test1
/backup/test/test2

The file specified by the -L option, named files.txt, contains:
-C/backup/test
test1
test2

The command I am executing is:
Code:
 tar -cvf test.tar -Lfiles.txt

The archive is created, but I am getting some strange output. Here a sample:
Code:
tar: can't change directories to _=/usr/bin: No such file or directory
tar: can't change directories to TMPDIR=: No such file or directory
tar: LANG=en_US: No such file or directory
tar: can't change directories to tmp=: No such file or directory
.
.
.
a test1
a test2

There are "No such file or directory" messages for every environment variable currently set.

I have used this same method on Linux with no issues, but AIX is not cooperating.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this?

Thanks!!

Last edited by judykstra; 04-16-2014 at 12:35 PM..
# 2  
Old 04-16-2014
What is - Cfiles.txt supposed to do?
for me -C is to change directory...

Linux is not UNIX hehe
(G)tar is not tar nor vim is vi...
# 3  
Old 04-16-2014
oops, that is supposed to be -Lfiles.txt
the actual command that is producing the error strange behavior is:
tar -cvf test.tar -Lfiles.txt

...was up late trying to get this resolved
# 4  
Old 04-16-2014
Whats is in that file? Because it seems the content isnt good (syntax or non printable chars?)
What the file generated from windows?
# 5  
Old 04-16-2014
The file has only these 3 lines:
-C/backup/test
test1
test2

It was created on the server with vi. I don't see any control characters in it.
# 6  
Old 04-16-2014
What is test1 test2 ?
/backup/test if is a directory it will create the directory, but will not backup the files in it...
the idea of -L is to give a list file with all you want for tar (and I suppose it does not use joker because I dont use it... haha
I will go and test...)
# 7  
Old 04-16-2014
demo:
Code:
file.txt:
/usr/bin/
/usr/bin/ls
/usr/bin/vi
/usr/local/etc/
/usr/local/etc/*

n12:/home/vbe $ tar -cvf /home/vbe/test.tar -L/home/vbe/file.txt    
a /usr/bin/
a /usr/bin/ls 53 blocks
a /usr/bin/vi 713 blocks
a /usr/local/etc/
tar: /usr/local/etc/*: No such file or directory

So the listfile must be exaustif - no * ? ... only files and directories one by one...
and listing a directory doesnt mean it will backup its content...
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