Re: Extracting indiviual files or directories from XYZ.tar.xz - Possible?

["Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net>]

Hi,

Richard Owlett wrote
>   1. Can individual files or directories be extracted from XYZ.tar.xz ?

Look up exact path of your file, like with:

  tar tJf XYZ.tar.xz | less

and the search capabilities of "less".
Or by:

  tar tJf XYZ.tar.xz | '...some.search.expression...'

Go to a directory from where the (usually) relative path leads to
the desired storage location.
Extract the desired path:

  tar xJvf XYZ.tar.xz ...path.of.desired.file.as.shown.by.tar.tJf...

Multiple paths are allowed. Like:

  tar xJvf XYZ.tar.xz  dir/x other/dir/y

Due to the sequential nature of compression and tar, the whole
archive will be uncompressed and read with each such run. This may last
substantial time.


> 2. Is there a compressed format that makes above convenient?

Depends much on what you perceive as convenient.

I use for backup ISO 9660 with zisofs compression which is recognized
automatically by Debian's Linux kernels.
So i can use arbitrary file tools to inspect and copy out files
from my backup ISOs after having mounted them by normal means.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas