GNU tar + multi-volume + long names = corrupt archives

[bscott at ntisys.com]

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003, at 11:05am, p.lussier at comcast.net wrote:
>> If GNU tar happens to be writing a file with a "long file name" when it
>> spans tapes, then the archive is corrupted.  (!!!)
>
> I believe this has been fixed, but I'm not positive, I'd ask on the amanda
> mailing lists.

  Well, I just went and checked "ftp://alpha.gnu.org", and lo and behold,
there's been a new release of GNU tar!  It had been literally years since
the previous release.  The version number jumped from 1.13.25 to 1.13.92,
for no documented reason.

  Unfortunately, the following is still present in the source code
(buffer.c):

      /* FIXME: Michael P Urban writes: [a long name file] is being written
         when a new volume rolls around [...]  Looks like the wrong value is
         being preserved in real_s_name, though.  */

So, it appears that the multi-volume+long-name bug is still there.

  :-(

  The last time I looked at this problem, I tried to figure out the code, in
the hopes of maybe fixing it.  Ugh.  'Tis the stuff of nightmares.

-- 
Ben Scott <bscott at ntisys.com>
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