In the world of file archiving and compression, the tar command remains a powerful tool for creating, handling, and modifying archives on Linux systems.

This article will guide you through the procedures for adding, removing, and updating files inside a tar archive, detailing the necessary steps and commands required to accomplish these tasks.

Appending Files to a Tar Archive

Appending files to an existing tar archive is beneficial when you wish to update or extend the contents of an archive without starting over.

To do this, you can employ the -r or --append option along with the name of the tar archive and the list of files you intend to add.

<code>$ tar -rvf tecmint.tar ravi1.txt ravi2.txt ravi3.txt</code>

In this command, -r indicates appending files to the archive, -v provides detailed output for monitoring progress, and -f specifies the name of the tar archive.

To inspect the contents of a tar file named tecmint.tar, use the following command:

<code>$ tar -tvf tecmint.tar </code>

Removing Files from a Tar Archive

Occasionally, you may need to eliminate specific files from an existing archive to maintain its relevance or reduce its size. Here, the --delete option comes into play to remove files from an archive as demonstrated.

<code>$ tar --delete -f tecmint.tar ravi1.txt ravi3.txt
$ tar -tvf tecmint.tar </code>

In this instance, the tar command will unpack the archive, delete the specified files, and then reconstruct the archive without the removed files.

Modifying Files in a Tar Archive

Updating files within a tar archive requires a two-part approach: extracting the archive, altering the desired files, and then recreating the archive. This process allows you to adjust the contents precisely without affecting the whole archive.

<code>$ tar -xf tecmint.tar ravi2.txt  [extracting archive]
$ tar -uvf tecmint.tar ravi2.txt [updating archive]</code>

Conclusion

The tar command's capability to add, remove, and update files within tar archives presents a flexible method to keep your archives current and pertinent.

Whether you're refreshing files, discarding outdated data, or refining archive dimensions, mastering the tar command's functionalities can notably improve your data management expertise.

By adhering to the instructions provided in this article, you can adeptly add, remove, and update files within tar archives, thus amplifying the productivity and efficacy of your digital storage activities.

The above is the detailed content of How to Add, Delete and Update Files in Tar Archive in Linux. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!