NAME

       nbdkit-tar-plugin - read and write files inside tar files without unpacking

SYNOPSIS

        nbdkit tar tar=FILENAME.tar file=PATH_INSIDE_TAR

EXAMPLE

   Serve a single file inside a tarball
        nbdkit tar tar=file.tar file=some/disk.img
        guestfish --format=raw -a nbd://localhost

   Opening a disk image inside an OVA file
       The popular "Open Virtual Appliance" (OVA) format is really an uncompressed tar file containing (usually)
       VMDK-format files, so you could access one file in an OVA like this:

        $ tar tf rhel.ova
        rhel.ovf
        rhel-disk1.vmdk
        rhel.mf
        $ nbdkit -r tar tar=rhel.ova file=rhel-disk1.vmdk
        $ guestfish --ro --format=vmdk -a nbd://localhost

DESCRIPTION

       "nbdkit-tar-plugin" is a plugin which can read and writes files inside an uncompressed tar file without
       unpacking the tar file.

       The "tar" and "file" parameters are required, specifying the name of the uncompressed tar file and the
       exact path of the file within the tar file to access as a disk image.

       This plugin will not work on compressed tar files.

       Use the nbdkit -r flag to open the file readonly.  This is the safest option because it guarantees that
       the tar file will not be modified.  Without -r writes will modify the tar file.

       Also writing to the tar file does not change data checksums stored in other files (the "rhel.mf" file in
       the example above), and as these will become incorrect you probably won't be able to open the file with
       another tool afterwards.

       The disk image cannot be resized.

VERSION

       "nbdkit-tar-plugin" first appeared in nbdkit 1.2.

SEE ALSO

       https://github.com/libguestfs/nbdkit/blob/master/plugins/tar/tar.pl, nbdkit(1), nbdkit-plugin(3),
       nbdkit-perl-plugin(3).

AUTHORS

       Richard W.M. Jones.

       Based on the virt-v2v OVA importer written by Tomáš Golembiovský.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2017 Red Hat Inc.

LICENSE

       Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided
       that the following conditions are met:

       •   Redistributions  of  source  code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and
           the following disclaimer.

       •   Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and
           the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

       •   Neither the name of Red Hat nor the names of its contributors may  be  used  to  endorse  or  promote
           products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

       THIS  SOFTWARE  IS  PROVIDED BY RED HAT AND CONTRIBUTORS ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
       INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND  FITNESS  FOR  A  PARTICULAR
       PURPOSE  ARE  DISCLAIMED.  IN  NO EVENT SHALL RED HAT OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
       INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,  PROCUREMENT  OF
       SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
       ON  ANY  THEORY  OF  LIABILITY,  WHETHER  IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR
       OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
       DAMAGE.

nbdkit-1.16.2                                      2020-01-28                               nbdkit-tar-plugin(1)