tar question

[Andrew Griffin]

I'm writing a script to transfer a database from one system to another, both are HP-UX servers. The server I'm moving them from stores the files in 6 directories - /r10, /r20, /r30, etc. And the new server will store them in 5 directories - /data1, /data2, etc. The files have to be rearranged in the process to evenly spread them out across the new mount points. This is an example of what I'm doing (so far) in the script, moving a list of specific files to their new directory on the new server:

tar cvf - /r10/file1.dbf /r60/file4.dbf /r20/file3.dbf /r40/file9.dbf | remsh host2 '(cd /data1; tar xvf -)'

The problem is when the files are extracted (at the "tar xvf -" part), they're being restored to their original absolute path locations. Since the new server doesn't have any of the /rXX directories, they're being created and filling up the / file system. Here's my question: Which tar option do I use, when extracting the files, to ignore the absolute path names and just restore to the current directory?

[Helen French · Accepted solution]

Hi Andrew,

While doing backup ( tar -cvf ) , specify the relative path instead of absolute path.

# cd /rxx
# tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m .

This will restore the files to the current directory while doing tar -xvf

HTH,
Shiju

[Sandip Ghosh]

You have to go to the directory and then you have to give the tar comand. That means you have to use 6 tar commands in the script and before each separate tar command you have to give the change dir command to that directory.

Sandip

[Helen French]

Hi,

Again, if you stick with absolute path, then read this thread:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/0,,0x835a50011d20d6118ff40090279cd0f9,00.html

and Harry's suggestion here:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x38d6cf38d6bdd5118ff10090279cd0f9,00.html

HTH,
Shiju

[Andrew Griffin]

Thanks all, that's what I thought, just wanted to make sure. I'm going to modify the script as such:

cd / ;
tar cvf - r10/file2.dbf r60/file8.dbf r20/file3.dbf | remsh host2 '(cd /data1; tar xvf -)'

etc., etc..

Thanks for the help!

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Andrew,

Just a reminder that tar cannot handle files > 2 Gb - even if the FS is set to support largefiles.
Something to keep in mind if those DB files grow down the road.

Rgds,
Jeff