Quick question: does tar not recognize .sql files?

[erinod]

Quick question, does tar not recognize .sql files? I am trying to tar a directory that just has a backup of my sql database in it and I'm getting this message: tar: Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive

Anyway to get tar to realize the archive wont be empty?

[Irithori]

tar will work on any file, even special ones like device files.
You need to be sure, that the files are consistent while creating the tarball, though.

The error message indicates wrong usage.

[Cabhan]

Can you show us the tar command that you're running? As Irithori says, tar works on all files.

[hazel]

I am trying to tar a directory that just has a backup of my sql database in it and I'm getting this message: tar: Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive

Anyway to get tar to realize the archive wont be empty?

You need to give tar a filename to use for the archive as well as naming the directories or files to go into it:
tar -cf sql.tar path/to/sql/directory

[sgosnell]

If you're using GNU tar, and you probably are, the tutorial for it is here. It's worth a read.

[erinod]

thanks guys, i didnt have the "-" for the parameters in the right place, thats why it was creating an empty tar file.