
>   I have many files in my directory which I don't need right now,
>   but don't want to get rid of them. 
>   How can I save them and be able to retrieve them at a later time?
>   Do I simply use "tar"?


	`tar' is indeed the command you want; full details can 
	be found in the on-line man page.  The following should 
	get you started and may be sufficient for what you want.  

	I've also included information on file compression as it 
	is something we encourage when shared disk space is at a 
	premium.  
 

	========================================================
	MAKING AN ARCHIVE USING TAR
	========================================================
	To create an archive, supply `tar' with a list of file
	names to be archived.  If a filename is a directory, tar 
	creates an archive of the entire directory tree.  

	Say you want to make a tar file of 3 files `one', `two' 
	and `three':
		----------------------------------
		`tar cvf mytarfile one two three'
		----------------------------------
	c ==> create
	v ==> verbose mode 
	f ==> put the output into a file (mytarfile) 

	`tar' creates an archive which contains `one', `two', 
	`three' and puts the output in mytarfile.  An 'ls' will 
	show the file 'mytarfile' now exists.  Note that files 
	'one', 'two', and 'three' also still exist; tar DOES NOT 
	DELETE the files it archives.  

	To see a list of the contents of the archive you just 
	created:
		----------------------------------
		`tar tvf mytarfile'
		----------------------------------
	t ==> give a table of contents of the tar file
	v ==> verbose mode 
	f ==> use the named tar file (default is /dev/rmt8!)

	If you want to tar off an entire directory tree:
		----------------------------------
		`tar cvf mytarfile path'
		----------------------------------
	where path is the path name of the directory you want 
	to archive.  Note that if you use an absolute path name, 
	when you restore the files, tar will insist on restoring 
	them to that absolute path name.  So in general it is 
	better to use a relative path name.  

	Recall that RELATIVE path is from the current directory:
			./whatever
	ABSOLUTE path is from the root directory:
			/us/wamapi/tmp

	========================================================
	REDUCING FILE SIZE:  `compress'
	========================================================
	If you are interested in reducing your disk space 
	requirements:
		----------------------------------
		`compress mytarfile'
		----------------------------------
	will result in a new file, `mytarfile.Z'.  The `.Z' 
	extension reminds you that the file has been compressed.  

	To view the contents of a compressed file:
		----------------------------------
		`zcat filename.Z'
		----------------------------------

	To see a list of the contents of a compressed tar 
	archive:
		----------------------------------
		`zcat mytarfile.Z | tar tvf -'
		----------------------------------

	========================================================
	RESTORING FILE SIZE:  `uncompress'
	========================================================
	To restore the compressed file to its original size:
		----------------------------------
		`uncompress mytarfile.Z'
		----------------------------------
	gives you back `mytarfile'.

	========================================================
	RESTORING ARCHIVED FILES
	========================================================
	To restore the all of the files contained in the archive:
		----------------------------------
		`tar xvf mytarfile'
		----------------------------------
	x ==> extract files
	v ==> verbose mode 
	f ==> use the named tar file 

	To restore a particular file contained in the archive:
		----------------------------------
		`tar xvf mytarfile one two'
		----------------------------------
	will extract only files `one' and `two' from the 
	tarfile.  

	Note that when you restore files, they also remain in the 
	archive.  That is, the tarfile is unchanged by the 
	restoration of files.  
	
	A word of warning:  if you tar in a file by the same name 
	as one appearing in the directory to which the tar is being 
	done, tar overwrites the existing file.

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