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I am trying to create a tar file of an existing file or directory (file_dir_name) in a specified directory (dir_path). I need the tar file to be named new_name.tar in the new directory. However, when I execute the below command, the tar file is saved in the directory I am currently in. Can anyone help me fix this?

tar -cvf "$new_name.tar" "$file_dir_name" -C "$dir_path"
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    Is -C $dir_path only there to try forcing the creation of the tarball in dir_path? If you are using GNU tar, it should be warning you that the -C option has no effect as the last argument. Are you trying to do the equivalent of tar cvf "$name.tar" "$file_or_dir" && mv "$name.tar" "$dir_path/" - where file_or_dir is an absolute path or a path relative to the current directory (not to dir_path)? – fra-san Oct 5 '20 at 21:34
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Specify the path to where you want the new tarball stored, e. g. tar cvf "${dir_path}"/new_name.tar "$file_dir_name" -C "$dir_path".

This presumes that the direcory corresponding with file_dir_name exists in dir_path.

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  • will this work if the file does not exist in dir_path/ how would i make it work if it doesn't exist within the directory? – Natalie Lloyd Oct 5 '20 at 17:16
  • If it does not exist it will probably throw an error. You can use test -d "${dir_path}/${file_dir_name}" to verify it exists as a pre-tarring sanity check. – DopeGhoti Oct 5 '20 at 17:18
  • Do you know how I would modify your original answer so that it can accept relative or absolute paths? right now it only works for absolute – Natalie Lloyd Oct 5 '20 at 17:34
  • Relative paths should work; the question is, relative to what? In this context, the paths are relative to $PWD in environment from which the command is run. – DopeGhoti Oct 5 '20 at 17:45

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