Re: [Bug-tar] bug in GNU tar? -- backslashes break the --files-from= option

[Joerg Schilling]

Doug McLaren <address@hidden> wrote:

> I think I've found a bug in GNU tar.  It's somewhat serious (as it can
> cause files to not be archived), though it's rather obscure -- only
> people who have files with backslashes in them, and who are using the
> --files-from= (or -T) option will see it.  And then only sometimes.
>
> It's related to the --files-from= option and backslashes.  Apparantly
> tar is parsing the backslashes found in the filenames, perhaps trying
> to convert sequences that could represent control characters into
> those control characters?  Like \4 is converted to a control-D, or \f
> into a form feed?  At least that's how it seems to be working -- I
> haven't verified it.
>
> (But the fact that when fed `file\4' (with no zeros) the error reads
> --
>
>    tar: file\004: Cannot stat: No such file or directory

I sis never unserstand why an option called --files-from= includes _any_
special handling other than reading plain text file names.

This is how star's list= options works and this is how it needs to be in
order to be compatible with e.g. find . -print | ....

Jörg

-- 
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