Paul Eggert wrote: > I installed this: > > * NEWS: Document this. > * gnulib.modules: Add openat, readlinkat. > * src/common.h (open_read_flags, fstatat_flags): New global variables. > (cachedir_file_p, dump_file, check_exclusion_tags, scan_directory): > Adjust to new signatures, described below. > (name_fill_directory): Remove. > * src/compare.c (diff_file, diff_multivol): Use open_read_flags. > * src/create.c (struct exclusion_tag): Exclusion predicates now take > a file descriptor, not a file name. > (add_exclusion_tag): Likewise. All uses changed. ...
Hi Paul, This change makes it so tar can no longer archive a hierarchy with a depth of OPEN_MAX or greater. OPEN_MAX is a file descriptor limit, and should not limit the depth of hierarchy that a program like tar can process. On most systems I use, OPEN_MAX is 1024, which is high compared to some other systems. For example, on NetBSD 5.0.2 it's just 128. While most distribution tarballs fit easily within such a limitation, when you use tar to perform backups, you might find such a low number to be a serious limitation. Even 1024 seems far too low for a tool like tar.
