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When I specify root-folders in my tar command-line I deliberately prefix with "/" to tell tar it is root-folders and not sub-folders of current folder.

E.g. 

tar --create --file="/tmp/test.tar" "/tmp/Folder 1/"
tar: Removing leading `/' from member names

Why is the leading "/" removed?

In regards to the -f / --file= option:
If you want to output to stdout you use -f - but it seems you cannot use --file= -.
I thought -f and --file were aliases to each other?

Beside I cannot find the -f - option in the manual (man tar)...shouldn't it be there? or have I just overlooked it.

Hauke Laging
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BMWW
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    @BMWW If you ask two questions in one, it can happen it will get closed as duplicate, altough only one of the questions has been answered before. – Philippos May 02 '18 at 15:42

2 Answers2

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Tar writes to stdout or reads from stdin by default, so there is no need for the dash character to mean stdout/stdin. Just leave out the -f parameter. You got a syntax error for --file= - because of the space between = and -. Long options with -- are written --param=value without spaces around the equals sign.

Johan Myréen
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Try to avoid using full path when specifying the directory path, use relative path, it will be easier when restoring.

José Castillo Lema
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