errors while tryting to delete a file from a TAR archive

[Amitkarny]

[root@links]# tar --list -f links.tar ./SmallDebian_BE/etc/rc2.d/S89cron
./SmallDebian_BE/etc/rc2.d/S89cron

When trying to delete :

tar --delete -f links.tar ./SmallDebian_BE/etc/rc2.d/S89cron
tar: Cannot update compressed archives
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now


i must say that the tar file contain only soft links...not real files...
so...maybe there the dog lay his head ?

THx Amitos

[dijetlo]

try

tar -f links.tar --delete /SmallDebian_BE/etc/rc2.d/s89cron

[Amitkarny]

Thx dijetlo I have tried what you suggested..

tar -f links.tar --delete /SmallDebian_BE/etc/rc2.d/s89cron

same error as in the original message...



can youjust try it on his own linux unit and see if you can reproduce it ?


THx again

[dijetlo]

can youjust try it on his own linux unit and see if you can reproduce it ?

I get the same result, even if I tar -h when I make the archive, which resolves the links before the tarball is formed, the problem is that it can't update an archive without decompressing it. So if you want to use native tar, your probably going have to uncompress the archive, remove the file and re-compress it. A simple script would do that cleanly.
Other options would include using something like "cervisia".

[Bemk]

If your distro includes it, you can also use the graphical tool to remove the file.

[Amitkarny]

In the previous Q, i understood its not possible to delete a link from inside the tar archive. OK

now i want to go the othre way.
untar the tar file. ---- > remove the undesired link ---- > then tar it again.

what i wanna do is tar only symbolic links.
in the man tar page i could see the -h parameter.
but i cant do it. it tars not only the links but everything under the folder.

anybody knows how to cretae a command that will tar only the symbolic links ?

THx