GNU `tar' saves many files together into a single tape or disk archive, and
can restore individual files from the archive.

Usage: tar [OPTION]... [FILE]...

If a long option shows an argument as mandatory, then it is mandatory
for the equivalent short option also.  Similarly for optional arguments.

Main operation mode:
  -t, --list              list the contents of an archive
  -x, --extract, --get    extract files from an archive
  -c, --create            create a new archive
  -d, --diff, --compare   find differences between archive and file system
  -r, --append            append files to the end of an archive
  -u, --update            only append files newer than copy in archive
  -A, --catenate          append tar files to an archive
      --concatenate       same as -A
      --delete            delete from the archive (not on mag tapes!)

Operation modifiers:
  -W, --verify               attempt to verify the archive after writing it
      --remove-files         remove files after adding them to the archive
  -k, --keep-old-files       don't overwrite existing files when extracting
  -U, --unlink-first         remove each file prior to extracting over it
      --recursive-unlink     empty hierarchies prior to extracting directory
  -S, --sparse               handle sparse files efficiently
  -O, --to-stdout            extract files to standard output
  -G, --incremental          handle old GNU-format incremental backup
  -g, --listed-incremental   handle new GNU-format incremental backup
      --ignore-failed-read   do not exit with nonzero on unreadable files

Handling of file attributes:
      --owner=NAME             force NAME as owner for added files
      --group=NAME             force NAME as group for added files
      --mode=CHANGES           force (symbolic) mode CHANGES for added files
      --atime-preserve         don't change access times on dumped files
  -m, --modification-time      don't extract file modified time
      --same-owner             try extracting files with the same ownership
      --numeric-owner          always use numbers for user/group names
  -p, --same-permissions       extract all protection information
      --preserve-permissions   same as -p
  -s, --same-order             sort names to extract to match archive
      --preserve-order         same as -s
      --preserve               same as both -p and -s

Device selection and switching:
  -f, --file=ARCHIVE             use archive file or device ARCHIVE
      --force-local              archive file is local even if has a colon
      --rsh-command=COMMAND      use remote COMMAND instead of rsh
  -[0-7][lmh]                    specify drive and density
  -M, --multi-volume             create/list/extract multi-volume archive
  -L, --tape-length=NUM          change tape after writing NUM x 1024 bytes
  -F, --info-script=FILE         run script at end of each tape (implies -M)
      --new-volume-script=FILE   same as -F FILE
      --volno-file=FILE          use/update the volume number in FILE

Device blocking:
  -b, --blocking-factor=BLOCKS   BLOCKS x 512 bytes per record
      --record-size=SIZE         SIZE bytes per record, multiple of 512
  -i, --ignore-zeros             ignore zeroed blocks in archive (means EOF)
  -B, --read-full-records        reblock as we read (for 4.2BSD pipes)

Archive format selection:
  -V, --label=NAME                   create archive with volume name NAME
              PATTERN                at list/extract time, a globbing PATTERN
  -o, --old-archive, --portability   write a V7 format archive
      --posix                        write a POSIX conformant archive
  -z, --gzip, --ungzip               filter the archive through gzip
  -Z, --compress, --uncompress       filter the archive through compress
      --use-compress-program=PROG    filter through PROG (must accept -d)

Local file selection:
  -C, --directory=DIR          change to directory DIR
  -T, --files-from=NAME        get names to extract or create from file NAME
      --null                   -T reads null-terminated names, disable -C
      --exclude=PATTERN        exclude files, given as a globbing PATTERN
  -X, --exclude-from=FILE      exclude globbing patterns listed in FILE
  -P, --absolute-names         don't strip leading `/'s from file names
  -h, --dereference            dump instead the files symlinks point to
      --no-recursion           avoid descending automatically in directories
  -l, --one-file-system        stay in local file system when creating archive
  -K, --starting-file=NAME     begin at file NAME in the archive
  -N, --newer=DATE             only store files newer than DATE
      --newer-mtime            compare date and time when data changed only
      --after-date=DATE        same as -N
      --backup[=CONTROL]       backup before removal, choose version control
      --suffix=SUFFIX          backup before removel, override usual suffix

Informative output:
      --help            print this help, then exit
      --version         print tar program version number, then exit
  -v, --verbose         verbosely list files processed
      --checkpoint      print directory names while reading the archive
      --totals          print total bytes written while creating archive
  -R, --block-number    show block number within archive with each message
  -w, --interactive     ask for confirmation for every action
      --confirmation    same as -w

The backup suffix is `~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.
The version control may be set with --backup or VERSION_CONTROL, values are:

  t, numbered     make numbered backups
  nil, existing   numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
  never, simple   always make simple backups

GNU tar cannot read nor produce `--posix' archives.  If POSIXLY_CORRECT
is set in the environment, GNU extensions are disallowed with `--posix'.
Support for POSIX is only partially implemented, don't count on it yet.
ARCHIVE may be FILE, HOST:FILE or USER@HOST:FILE; and FILE may be a file
or a device.  *This* `tar' defaults to `-f- -b20'.

Report bugs to <tar-bugs@gnu.ai.mit.edu>.