Re: tar, but not gnu tar

bruce wrote:
> > > ISTR that the original caution was against writing scripts that assume
> > > anything being emitted to stderr must indicate a problem.
> >
> > The relevant NEWS entry from GNU tar 1.16 is:
> >
> > """
> > * After creating an archive, tar exits with code 1 if some files were
> > changed while being read. Previous versions exited with code 2 (fatal
> > error), and only if some files were truncated while being archived.
>
> Docs updated and backpatched to 8.2.X:
>
> Also, some versions of GNU <application>tar</> consider it an error
> if a file was truncated while <application>tar</> is copying it.
> Fortunately, GNU <application>tar</> versions 1.16 and later exits
> with <literal>1</> if a file was changed during the backup, and
> <literal>2</> for other errors.

I have updated the documentation to mention that the real problem is an
"indistinguishable" error return code:

Also, some versions of GNU <application>tar</> return an error code
indistinguishable from a fatal error if a file was truncated while
<application>tar</> was copying it. Fortunately, GNU
<application>tar</> versions 1.16 and later exits with <literal>1</>
if a file was changed during the backup, and <literal>2</> for other
errors.

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

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