Adding file to compressed tarfile

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hello all,

I would like to add a file to a compressed (gzip) tarfile. Normally it won't be a Problem, if I would do it in several steps. But I do not want to have unnecessary files.

So, in words:

  1. unzip the tarfile
  2. add a new file
  3. zip the tarfile

What I tried:

gzip -d < tt1.tar.gz | tar -r tt1.readme | gzip - > tt1.tar.gz
tar: /dev/rmt0: No such file or Directory

As you can see, this does not work.

Do you have any solution?

2

Hello API,

Could you please try following steps(not tested though) and let me know if this helps you.
1st: Extract .tar file from .tar.gz file:

gunzip filename.tar.gz

2nd: Update uncompressed .tar file with tar -u command as follows:

tar -uf filename.tar new_file

3rd: Compress the updated .tar file:

gzip filename.tar

Thanks,
R. Singh

1 Like
3

First off, using pipes creates temporary files - just so you know. gzip renames the output file, so no extra files when you are done.

Start with this:

gunzip tarfile.tar.gz
tar -rf tarfile.tar readme.txt
gzip tarfile.tar

then make a one-liner if you need it.

1 Like
4

@RavinderSingh13: That works very well. Beside of the fact that I have to use "tar -r..." instead of "-u".

@jim McNamara: Works as expected...

Thanks to all. Thats what I needed. What I did not know, was the fact, that the files do not Need more space as I have before - because they are already there...