[Bug-cpio] Re: [Bug-tar] Separate return code when file changes while being read

[Sergey Poznyakoff]

Steve Bergman <address@hidden> wrote:

> Is everyone using cpio for backups?  The problem is that cpio has its
> own problems.  If, during the backup, it comes across a file to be
> backed up that is > 4GB in size, it immediately aborts with an error.
> (Yes, in the year 2006 it does this!)  And there are no definite plans
> to fix it, as a new header style would have to be added to the format.
> One can use the "old c" style header and increase that limit to 8GB...

Probably you meant 'old ascii' format (-Hodc). Adding new format is
indeed rather problematic, since it will break compatibility with other
cpio implementations.

> as long as they don't have more than 65536 files to backup.

Why? You can have as many files in a cpio backup as necessary.
 
> Is this return 2 on file truncation issue something that is likely to be
> changed anytime soon?

The new versions of GNU tar and cpio will be released this saturday.
I will implement the new return code before the release.

Regards,
Sergey