Package: tar
Version: 1.13.93-4
Severity: normal
Abstract:
=========
If the path to a file is longer than 99 characters, then
* tar 1.13.93-4 (Sarge):
a) silently cuts all the path components and adds the file to the
top of the tarball
b) prints *no* error message
c) exits with error code 0, i.e. "successful"
* tar 1.14-2 (Sid):
a) creates the archive without the file
b) prints an error message expressing the cause of the problem
c) exits with error code != 0, i.e. "error"
Details:
========
I noticed this bug while creating a source tarball via "make dist" on an
automake-based package using stock automake1.9 and tar from Sarge.
The file in question should have been
libexif-testsuite-0.6.13/src/libgphoto2/libgphoto2_port/libgphoto2_port/gphoto2-port-portability-os2.h
in the tarball would always be packaged as
gphoto2-port-portability-os2.h
Fortunately, I found the automake bug #302682 which talks about newer
tar supporting more tar formats:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=302682
This prompted me to test the newer tar version 1.14-2 from Sid. The
results point to a definite problem in tar:
tardir=libexif-testsuite-0.6.13 && /bin/sh
/home/uli/src/photo/libexif-testsuite/missing --run tar chof - "$tardir" |
GZIP=--best gzip -c >libexif-testsuite-0.6.13.tar.gz
tar:
libexif-testsuite-0.6.13/src/libgphoto2/libgphoto2_port/libgphoto2_port/gphoto2-port-portability-o2.h:
file name is too long (max 99); not dumped
tar: Error exit delayed from previous errors
tardir=libexif-testsuite-0.6.13 && /bin/sh
/home/uli/src/photo/libexif-testsuite/missing --run tar chof - "$tardir" |
bzip2 -9 -c >libexif-testsuite-0.6.13.tar.bz2 tar:
libexif-testsuite-0.6.13/src/libgphoto2/libgphoto2_port/libgphoto2_port/gphoto2-port-portability-o2.h:
file name is too long (max 99); not dumped
Conclusion:
===========
I can understand if the file format only allows 99 characters for the
path. However, tar 1.13.93 handles that in a completely wrong way.
Even tar 1.13.93 should definitely fail with an error message instead
of just silently moving the offending file around and pretend nothing
bad ever happened.
-- System Information:
Debian Release: 3.1
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (990, 'testing'), (800, 'unstable'), (100, 'experimental')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.11-rc2-vs1.9.4-rc3-ndim-1
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=de_DE.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Versions of packages tar depends on:
ii libc6 2.3.2.ds1-20 GNU C Library: Shared libraries an
-- no debconf information
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
