On Fri, 01 May 2009 03:04:05 -0500, Dale wrote: > > Tar needs to be given files or directories to include, you didn't and > > that's why it refused to make an empty archive. Since -C chnges to the > > directory you want to backup, you use . to tell it to backup the (now) > > current directory. > Would using a wild card work? Like this; /mnt/gentoo/* Just curious.
No, because the -C has already changed the working directory
to /mnt/gentoo, so /mnt/gentoo/* would go back to where you were before
(because of the leading/). Using * on its own wouldn't work, because
the shell would expand it before running the tar command. Also, using
* would exclude hidden files. You've been given a working command, why
look for a more complex but flawed alternative?
tar -C somewhere -blah
is equivalent to
cd somewhere
tar -blah
cd ${OLDPWD}
and workd for both creation and extraction. As you are already using it
for extraction, why not maintain consistency and use it for creation too?
> And to think that I thought a period was only needed for the end of a
> sentence. Learn something new every day I guess.
. = current directory
.. = parent directory
--
Neil Bothwick
Are you sure this isn't the time for a colorful metaphor?
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