Thanks for reporting that. I installed this fix and it should appear in the next 'tar' version.
tar: fix core dump with --index-file=bad_path * src/tar.c (decode_options): Exit cleanly if index file won't open. Problem reported by Khanh-Dang Nguyen Thu Lam in <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-tar/2012-01/msg00018.html>. diff --git a/src/tar.c b/src/tar.c index 21d9910..9cea7a5 100644 --- a/src/tar.c +++ b/src/tar.c @@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ parse_opt (int key, char *arg, struct argp_state *state) /* Don't replace existing files. */ old_files_option = KEEP_OLD_FILES; break; - + case 'K': starting_file_option = true; addname (arg, 0, true, NULL); @@ -2606,7 +2606,7 @@ decode_options (int argc, char **argv) { stdlis = fopen (index_file_name, "w"); if (! stdlis) - open_error (index_file_name); + open_fatal (index_file_name); } else stdlis = to_stdout_option ? stderr : stdout;
