Quick tar backup question

**imported_RedHat** · 03-04-2003, 11:25 PM

If I want to restore a tar archive to its original location, don't I have to use the absolute pathname when creating the archive, such as:

Code:

tar cvzf backup.tar.gz /home/john

As apposed to:

Code:

cd /home/john
tar cvzf backup.tar.gz .

The first would extract to its original location when I extract it while the second would extract to whichever directory the tarball is in - that correct? Thanks.

**pbharris** · 03-05-2003, 04:29 AM

hello,
either will work, it just depends on what direct you are in when you de-archive it. e.g. it you were at / then you wold want to do a tar -cf file.tar /home/john, if it was created with absloute path names.