Re: [Bug-tar] [PATCH] Do not fail when 'compress' is unable to provide sufficient compress ratio

[Antonio Diaz Diaz]

Pavel Raiskup wrote:
> I agree that this would be the most logical.  But there is a problem with
> backward compatibility.  The behaviour of --use-compress-program will
> change.. what about this:
>
>   -I, --use-filter-program (general 'vanilla' API)
>   --use-compress-program (obsoleted alias to ^^^)
>       // remove from --help & man & info to not confuse people
>   --use-compress-like-program (with a *proper* definition what it does)
>       // or choose a better name?

What about adjusting the '-Z' option to the compress API (as Paul 
suggested) and converting gzip to the general API, instead of installing 
a complicated workaround in tar?

The problem seems to be so rare that nobody noticed it until now. And if 
'2' means 'ok', why not make gzip return '0' instead?

Converting gzip to the general API seems the right thing to do in the 
long term. It would simplify any program or script calling gzip, and 
would discourage future compressors from imitating the API of the 
obsolete 'compress'.


Best regards,
Antonio.