[Bug-tar] wierd exit status running tar

[David M. Barlieb]

I have been trying to write a script to compress a directory which contains a number of linked directories in it. In the script I am checking the exit status of the tar command to send email to me if the tar failed for any reason. The tar string is this…

 

/bin/tar cvzphPf /backupdir/tarfile.tgz /home/user >> /backupdir/tarlog

if [ $? –eq 0 ]

  then

  echo “exit status is $?”  >>/backupdir/tarlog

  echo “SUCCESS” >>/backupdir/tarlog

  else

  echo “exit status is $?”  >>/backupdir/tarlog

  echo “FAILED” >>/backupdir/tarlog

fi

 

It then emails the log file to me. The problem is, even when apparently succesfull, it still returns exit status 1. I was able to verify it is succesfull by comparing the log output when I copy links to when I do not. The only difference is

 

I’m not sure if this is a bug or if I’m missing something or even if this is the correct place to bring it up. If not the correct forum, could you direct me to the proper forum.

 

 

Dave Barlieb

Systems Administrator

IntegriChain Inc.

100 Canal Pointe Blvd, Suite 117

Princeton, NJ 08540

Office: (609) 986-2466

Cell: (856) 298-0489

Email: address@hidden