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I usually use something like the following to do it: find $DIR -type f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv -T /dev/stdin -f $OUTPUT.tar Add a -j or -z or any other c

by baruch 11y ago

I usually use something like the following to do it: find $DIR -type f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv -T /dev/stdin -f $OUTPUT.tar Add a -j or -z or any other compressor you want. This will sort the files on reverse filename order so that similar sounding files will go together. It's not perfect and I had an idea to write something better but since it's usually enough I didn't really bother. Only thing that is needed is a program that takes a list of files and sets them in order for tar to do the packing and gzip/bzip2 compress the hell out of the pre-ordered files.

js8 11y ago
Thanks, I am aware of tricks like that, but it gets tiring really fast, so I don't use that in practice. Why can't they just add another flag to tar to call a program that would produce the ordering, just like they have compressor flags?
- deoxxa 11y ago
  > Why can't they just add another flag to tar [...]? You are "they" - you can add that flag. If it turns out that it works well, it'll (probably) be taken and added to whichever `tar` implementations you submit patches for.
- baruch 11y ago
  Different people will want different sorts for different needs, you can already feed tar the list of sorted files so it only takes another program to provide the specific sorted order for you. I actually do not really know why they bothered with the -z -j and such compression options when you could already pipe to a compressor of choice.
- capitalsigma 11y ago
  goodtar: #!/bin/bash find $3 type -f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv $2 -T /dev/stdin -f $1 Now put `goodtar` in `/usr/bin`. Whenever you want to compress stuff, just say: goodtar -j output.tar mydir What's making you tired?
  - baruch 11y ago
    I just created a quick hack which is essentially at this level but I would try to improve upon it, it can be found at: https://github.com/baruch/sortedtar https://github.com/baruch/sortedtar
- capitalsigma 11y ago
  goodtar: #!/bin/bash find $3 type -f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv $2 -T /dev/stdin -f $1 Now put `goodtar` in `/usr/bin`. Whenever you want to compress stuff, just say: goodtar -j output.tar mydir What's making you tired?

by baruch 11y ago

js8 11y ago

Thanks, I am aware of tricks like that, but it gets tiring really fast, so I don't use that in practice. Why can't they just add another flag to tar to call a program that would produce the ordering, just like they have compressor flags?

deoxxa 11y ago
> Why can't they just add another flag to tar [...]? You are "they" - you can add that flag. If it turns out that it works well, it'll (probably) be taken and added to whichever `tar` implementations you submit patches for.
baruch 11y ago
Different people will want different sorts for different needs, you can already feed tar the list of sorted files so it only takes another program to provide the specific sorted order for you. I actually do not really know why they bothered with the -z -j and such compression options when you could already pipe to a compressor of choice.
capitalsigma 11y ago
goodtar: #!/bin/bash find $3 type -f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv $2 -T /dev/stdin -f $1 Now put `goodtar` in `/usr/bin`. Whenever you want to compress stuff, just say: goodtar -j output.tar mydir What's making you tired?
- baruch 11y ago
  I just created a quick hack which is essentially at this level but I would try to improve upon it, it can be found at: https://github.com/baruch/sortedtar https://github.com/baruch/sortedtar
capitalsigma 11y ago
goodtar: #!/bin/bash find $3 type -f | rev | sort | rev | tar -cv $2 -T /dev/stdin -f $1 Now put `goodtar` in `/usr/bin`. Whenever you want to compress stuff, just say: goodtar -j output.tar mydir What's making you tired?