[Bug-tar] Add option to include the contents of FIFO:s

[Alexander T]

Hi,

This is my first message to this list, so hi everyone and I hope that
this is the right place to post. I would like to submit a feature
request: to add a flag for including the contents of FIFO:s, like
--dereference, but for named pipes.

The problem this would solve is tar:ing multiple large program outputs
without using intermediate files, something like

mkdir bck
mkfifo bck/1.dump
mkfifo bck/2.dump
dbdump db1 > bck/1.dump &
dbdump db2 > bck/2.dump &
tar -c?f bck.tar bck

It is currently of course possible to come up with some workarounds,
but they have drawbacks and this would IMHO be a very nice addition.

There are some google results with people having the same problems:
http://www.unix.com/unix-advanced-expert-users/30365-tar-fifos.html
,
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2021873/linux-adding-named-files-to-a-zip-archive-from-a-pipe/2022012#2022012
and
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/programming-9/make-tarziprar-play-nice-with-named-pipes-593392/


Best Regards,

Alexander T