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tar -vczfx123 ought to do it (imgs.xkcd.com)

submitted 8 months ago by CowsLookLikeMaps@sh.itjust.works to c/programmerhumor@lemmy.ml

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img title="I don't know what's worse--the fact that after 15 years of using tar I still can't keep the flags straight, or that after 15 years of technological advancement I'm still mucking with tar flags that were 15 years old when I started."

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[-] dotslashme@infosec.pub 139 points 8 months ago

Wouldn't tar --help suffice? Afaik, it returns exit code 0.

[-] SpaceCadet@feddit.nl 49 points 8 months ago

Depends. Is it GNU tar, BSD tar or some old school Unix tar?

Double hyphen "long options" are a typical GNU thing.

[-] paraphrand@lemmy.world 13 points 8 months ago

That’s why those commands have two?

[-] SpaceCadet@feddit.nl 11 points 8 months ago

Yes, the terse Unix version, which needs to be supported for compatibility, and the more readable GNU long option

[-] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 9 points 8 months ago

tar -h?

[-] SpaceCadet@feddit.nl 35 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

~# tar -h
tar: You must specify one of the '-Acdtrux', '--delete' or '--test-label' options
Try 'tar --help' or 'tar --usage' for more information.
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WARNING: Self destruct sequence initiated
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