What are the commands for tarring and untarring a full www directory?

tar cvf .. but i recommend cvzf to create a gziped tar .. compression is hella better

NAME
tar - The GNU version of the tar archiving utility

SYNOPSIS
tar [ - ] A --catenate --concatenate | c --create | d --diff --compare | r --append | t --list | u --update | x
-extract --get [ --atime-preserve ] [ -b, --block-size N ] [ -B, --read-full-blocks ] [ -C, --directory DIR ] [
--checkpoint ] [ -f, --file [HOSTNAME:]F ] [ --force-local ] [ -F, --info-script F --new-volume-script F ]
[ -G, --incremental ] [ -g, --listed-incremental F ] [ -h, --dereference ] [ -i, --ignore-zeros ] [ -j, -I,
--bzip ] [ --ignore-failed-read ] [ -k, --keep-old-files ] [ -K, --starting-file F ] [ -l, --one-file-system ]
[ -L, --tape-length N ] [ -m, --modification-time ] [ -M, --multi-volume ] [ -N, --after-date DATE, --newer
DATE ] [ -o, --old-archive, --portability ] [ -O, --to-stdout ] [ -p, --same-permissions, --preserve-permis­
sions ] [ -P, --absolute-paths ] [ --preserve ] [ -R, --record-number ] [ --remove-files ] [ -s, --same-
order, --preserve-order ] [ --same-owner ] [ -S, --sparse ] [ -T, --files-from=F ] [ --null ] [ --totals
] [ -v, --verbose ] [ -V, --label NAME ] [ --version ] [ -w, --interactive, --confirmation ] [ -W, --verify
] [ --exclude FILE ] [ -X, --exclude-from FILE ] [ -Z, --compress, --uncompress ] [ -z, --gzip, --ungzip ]
[ --use-compress-program PROG ] [ --block-compress ] [ -[0-7][lmh] ]

filename1 [ filename2, ... filenameN ]

directory1 [ directory2, ...directoryN ]

DESCRIPTION
This manual page documents the GNU version of tar , an archiving program designed to store and extract files
from an archive file known as a tarfile. A tarfile may be made on a tape drive, however, it is also common to
write a tarfile to a normal file. The first argument to tar must be one of the options: Acdrtux, followed by
any optional functions. The final arguments to tar are the names of the files or directories which should be
archived. The use of a directory name always implies that the subdirectories below should be included in the
archive.

FUNCTION LETTERS
One of the following options must be used:

-A, --catenate, --concatenate
append tar files to an archive

-c, --create
create a new archive

-d, --diff, --compare
find differences between archive and file system

--delete
delete from the archive (not for use on mag tapes!)

-r, --append
append files to the end of an archive
-t, --list
list the contents of an archive

-u, --update
only append files that are newer than copy in archive

-x, --extract, --get
extract files from an archive

OTHER OPTIONS
--atime-preserve
don't change access times on dumped files

-b, --block-size N
block size of Nx512 bytes (default N=20)

-B, --read-full-blocks
reblock as we read (for reading 4.2BSD pipes)

-C, --directory DIR
change to directory DIR

--checkpoint
print directory names while reading the archive

-f, --file [HOSTNAME:]F
use archive file or device F (default /dev/rmt0)

--force-local
archive file is local even if has a colon

-F, --info-script F --new-volume-script F
run script at end of each tape (implies -M)

-G, --incremental
create/list/extract old GNU-format incremental backup

-g, --listed-incremental F
create/list/extract new GNU-format incremental backup

-h, --dereference
don't dump symlinks; dump the files they point to

-i, --ignore-zeros
ignore blocks of zeros in archive (normally mean EOF)

-j, -I, --bzip
filter the archive through bzip2. Note: -I is deprecated and may get a different meaning in the near
future.

--ignore-failed-read
don't exit with non-zero status on unreadable files

-k, --keep-old-files
keep existing files; don't overwrite them from archive

-K, --starting-file F
begin at file F in the archive

-l, --one-file-system
stay in local file system when creating an archive

-L, --tape-length N
change tapes after writing N*1024 bytes

-m, --modification-time
don't extract file modified time

-M, --multi-volume
create/list/extract multi-volume archive

-N, --after-date DATE, --newer DATE
only store files newer than DATE

-o, --old-archive, --portability
write a V7 format archive, rather than ANSI format

-O, --to-stdout
extract files to standard output

-p, --same-permissions, --preserve-permissions
extract all protection information

-P, --absolute-paths
don't strip leading `/'s from file names

--preserve
like -p -s

-R, --record-number
show record number within archive with each message
--remove-files
remove files after adding them to the archive

-s, --same-order, --preserve-order
list of names to extract is sorted to match archive

--same-owner
create extracted files with the same ownership

-S, --sparse
handle sparse files efficiently

-T, --files-from=F
get names to extract or create from file F

--null
-T reads null-terminated names, disable -C

--totals
print total bytes written with --create

-v, --verbose
verbosely list files processed

-V, --label NAME
create archive with volume name NAME

--version
print tar program version number

-w, --interactive, --confirmation
ask for confirmation for every action

-W, --verify
attempt to verify the archive after writing it

--exclude FILE
exclude file FILE

-X, --exclude-from FILE
exclude files listed in FILE

-Z, --compress, --uncompress
filter the archive through compress

-z, --gzip, --ungzip
filter the archive through gzip

--use-compress-program PROG
filter the archive through PROG (which must accept -d)

man tar

works so much better ;)

my man tar's got a bunch of fucked up chars I can't read... hmmm... weird...

TAR(1) TAR(1)

NAME
tar â The GNU version of the tar archiving utility

SYNOPSIS
tar [ â ] A âatenate âoncatenate | c âreate | d âiff âompare
| r âppend | t âist | u âpdate | x âxtract âet [ âtimeâreâ[0m
serve ] [ â, âlockâize N ] [ â, âeadâullâlocks ] [ â,
âirectory DIR ] [ âheckpoint ] [ â, âile [HOSTNAME:]F ] [
âorceâocal ] [ â, ânfoâcript F âewâolumeâcript F ] [ â,
âncremental ] [ â, âistedâncremental F ] [ â, âereference ] [
â, âgnoreâeros ] [ â, â, âzip ] [ âgnoreâailedâead ] [ â,
âeepâldâiles ] [ â, âtartingâile F ] [ â, âneâileâystem ]
[ â, âapeâength N ] [ â, âodificationâime ] [ â, âultiâolâ[0m
ume ] [ â, âfterâate DATE, âewer DATE ] [ â, âldârchive,
âortability ] [ â, âoâtdout ] [ â, âameâermissions, âreâ[0m
serveâermissions ] [ â, âbsoluteâaths ] [ âreserve ] [ â,
âecordâumber ] [ âemoveâiles ] [ â, âameârder, âreserveâ[0m
order ] [ âameâwner ] [ â, âparse ] [ â, âilesârom=F ] [
âull ] [ âotals ] [ â, âerbose ] [ â, âabel NAME ] [
âersion ] [ â, ânteractive, âonfirmation ] [ â, âerify ]
[ âxclude FILE ] [ â, âxcludeârom FILE ] [ â, âompress,
âncompress ] [ â, âzip, ângzip ] [ âseâompressârogram
PROG ] [ âlockâompress ] [ â0â[lmh] ]

filename1 [ filename2, ... filenameN ]

directory1 [ directory2, ...directoryN ]

DESCRIPTION
This manual page documents the GNU version of tar , an archiving proâ
gram designed to store and extract files from an archive file known as
a tarfile. A tarfile may be made on a tape drive, however, it is also
common to write a tarfile to a normal file. The first argument to tar
must be one of the options: Acdrtux, followed by any optional funcâ
tions. The final arguments to tar are the names of the files or direcâ
tories which should be archived. The use of a directory name always
implies that the subdirectories below should be included in the
archive.

FUNCTION LETTERS
One of the following options must be used:

â, âatenate, âoncatenate
append tar files to an archive

â, âreate
create a new archive

â, âiff, âompare
find differences between archive and file system

âelete
delete from the archive (not for use on mag tapes!)

â, âppend
append files to the end of an archive

â, âist
list the contents of an archive

â, âpdate
only append files that are newer than copy in archive

â, âxtract, âet
extract files from an archive

OTHER OPTIONS
âtimeâreserve
donât change access times on dumped files

â, âlockâize N
block size of Nx512 bytes (default N=20)

â, âeadâullâlocks
reblock as we read (for reading 4.2BSD pipes)

â, âirectory DIR
change to directory DIR

âheckpoint
print directory names while reading the archive

â, âile [HOSTNAME:]F
use archive file or device F (default /dev/rmt0)

âorceâocal
archive file is local even if has a colon

â, ânfoâcript F âewâolumeâcript F
run script at end of each tape (implies â)

â, âncremental
create/list/extract old GNUâormat incremental backup

â, âistedâncremental F
create/list/extract new GNUâormat incremental backup

â, âereference
donât dump symlinks; dump the files they point to

â, âgnoreâeros
ignore blocks of zeros in archive (normally mean EOF)

â, â, âzip
filter the archive through bzip2. Note: â is deprecated and may
get a different meaning in the near future.

âgnoreâailedâead
donât exit with nonâero status on unreadable files

â, âeepâldâiles
keep existing files; donât overwrite them from archive

â, âtartingâile F
begin at file F in the archive

â, âneâileâystem
stay in local file system when creating an archive

â, âapeâength N
change tapes after writing N*1024 bytes

â, âodificationâime
donât extract file modified time

â, âultiâolume
create/list/extract multiâolume archive

â, âfterâate DATE, âewer DATE
only store files newer than DATE

â, âldârchive, âortability
write a V7 format archive, rather than ANSI format

â, âoâtdout
extract files to standard output

â, âameâermissions, âreserveâermissions
extract all protection information

â, âbsoluteâaths
donât strip leading â/âs from file names

âreserve
like â â

â, âecordâumber
show record number within archive with each message

âemoveâiles
remove files after adding them to the archive

â, âameârder, âreserveârder
list of names to extract is sorted to match archive

âameâwner
create extracted files with the same ownership

â, âparse
handle sparse files efficiently

â, âilesârom=F
get names to extract or create from file F

âull
â reads nullâerminated names, disable â

âotals
print total bytes written with âreate

â, âerbose
verbosely list files processed

â, âabel NAME
create archive with volume name NAME

âersion
print tar program version number

â, ânteractive, âonfirmation
ask for confirmation for every action

â, âerify
attempt to verify the archive after writing it

âxclude FILE
exclude file FILE

â, âxcludeârom FILE
exclude files listed in FILE

â, âompress, âncompress
filter the archive through compress

â, âzip, ângzip
filter the archive through gzip

âseâompressârogram PROG
filter the archive through PROG (which must accept â)

30 October 2000 TAR(1)

thanks, it worked...

Format :c

((Can't believe no one else said it!))