Overview
`tar-uvf-f-f` is not an independent command but a combination of the `tar` command and its options. `tar` stands for Tape ARchiver and is used to bundle files into a single archive file while preserving file system structure, or conversely, to extract files from an archive. `u`, `v`, and `f` are some of the core options for `tar`.
Key Functions of the tar Command
- Archive Creation: Bundles multiple files or directories into a single .tar file.
- Archive Extraction: Restores original files from a .tar file.
- Compression/Decompression: Can be used in conjunction with gzip, bzip2, xz, etc., to compress or decompress archives.
Key Options (Based on tar Command)
The `tar` command offers various options. In addition to `u`, `v`, and `f` seen in `tar-uvf-f-f`, there are other important options such as archive creation (`c`), extraction (`x`), and compression (`z`, `j`).
Basic Operations
File/Output Control
Compression Methods
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Description:
`tar-uvf-f-f` Executes the command.
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Usage Examples (Based on tar Command)
`tar-uvf-f-f` is not a valid command, so correct usage examples for the `tar` command are provided.
Bundling Files into an Archive
tar -cvf myarchive.tar file1.txt dir1Bundles file1.txt and the dir1 directory in the current directory into an archive file named myarchive.tar.
Creating a Gzip Compressed Archive
tar -czvf myarchive.tar.gz *Bundles all files in the current directory into myarchive.tar.gz and compresses it with gzip.
Checking Archive File Contents
tar -tzvf myarchive.tar.gzDisplays the contents of the myarchive.tar.gz file in detail.
Extracting Archive Files
tar -xzvf myarchive.tar.gzExtracts the contents of the myarchive.tar.gz file into the current directory.
Updating an Existing Archive
tar -uvf myarchive.tar new_file.txtAdds new_file.txt to myarchive.tar, or updates existing files if new_file.txt is newer.
Tips & Precautions
Points to note and useful tips when using the `tar` command.
Option Combination
When using multiple options with the `tar` command, it is common to use a single hyphen (-) followed by the option characters concatenated together. For example, use `-cvf` instead of `-c -v -f`.
- `-cvf` (create, verbose, file) is the most common combination.
- `-xvf` (extract, verbose, file) is also frequently used.
- The `-z` (gzip), `-j` (bzip2), and `-J` (xz) options are used with the `-f` option to create or extract compressed archives.
Importance of the -f Option
The `-f` option always takes the archive file path as an argument. Therefore, the `-f` must be followed by a file name, and using `-f` multiple times is generally not the intended behavior. A form like `tar -uvf -f -f` could interpret the first `-f` followed by another `-f` as the archive file name, and the subsequent `-f` as a file to include in the archive, leading to unexpected results.
Path Specification
When creating an archive with `tar`, it is recommended to specify relative paths for the files or directories to be included. Using absolute paths can cause issues when extracting on a different system later.