On Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:28:25 +0200, Jeremie Courreges-Anglas wrote:

> For writing archives, GNU tar uses the GNU format, python uses pax,
> bsdtar apparently uses a variant of pax without atime/mtime (a idea I
> had in mind).  Solaris apparently still uses ustar for tar(1).

Thanks, the default write format was what I was wondering about.

> File whose names fit in ustar headers should be restored correctly,
> except for the missing information from the extended header ofc.  Some
> implementations unaware of the pax format might write the extended
> header records as a regular file in a path/PaxHeaders.%p/file instead
> of ignoring them.

That doesn't sound like a problem, then.

> https://mgorny.pl/articles/portability-of-tar-features.html#extended-file-met
> adata
>
> has more information.

Great, that helps me understand things.

OK millert@

 - todd