ZX Files

TAR is a dot-command for the esxDOS, which creates, extracts and lists standard GNU TAR packages.

Programmed by ub880d, the latest version (download) is 0.4.

TAR is a powerful utility for archiving of files, from several small files to groups of files in sizes of megabytes, preserving directory structures in tar packages. It can be used to transfer data between different operating systems and computer platforms, without a need of any other file-conversion. The TAR command uses modern file-system services of the esxDOS, therefore is able to work on a humble ZX Spectrum 16K RAM model.

Type .TAR -X NAME.TAR to install the content of a tar-package onto your SD card.

Main advantages of the TAR dot-command are:

• native ZX Spectrum application, does not need help of other tools
• syntax and switches compatibility with 16bit and 32bit platforms
• works with very big files and packages (limited by capacity of the media)
• does file-to-file operations on a card only, runs in divSD memory, does not overwrite a standard RAM
• can store whole directories and also raw files (without +3DOS headers)
• system-integrated command, runable from other utilities, usable in BASIC programs
• fast file-handlings, does not use any compression
• interchangeable between many platforms, incl. common PCs (Linux, Windows, Mac)
• it is NOT about a tape- or a disk-emulation, no other emulation tools or conversions needed

This ZX version takes into account BASIC's 'Scroll?' prompt, it can be skiped by the switch -vv (no scroll).

Please post questions and comments regarding the TAR to the > esxDOS forum <

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