File: gnupg.info,  Node: gpgtar,  Next: gpg-mail-tube,  Prev: gpgparsemail,  Up: Helper Tools

10.10 Encrypt or sign files into an archive
===========================================

'gpgtar' encrypts or signs files into an archive.  It is an gpg-ized tar
using the same format as used by PGP's PGP Zip.

'gpgtar' is invoked this way:

     gpgtar [options] FILENAME1 [FILENAME2, ...] DIRECTORY [DIRECTORY2, ...]

'gpgtar' understands these options:

'--create'
     Put given files and directories into a vanilla "ustar" archive.

'--extract'
     Extract all files from a vanilla "ustar" archive.  If no file name
     is given (or it is "-") the archive is taken from stdin.

'--encrypt'
'-e'
     Encrypt given files and directories into an archive.  This option
     may be combined with option '--symmetric' for an archive that may
     be decrypted via a secret key or a passphrase.

'--decrypt'
'-d'
     Extract all files from an encrypted archive.  If no file name is
     given (or it is "-") the archive is taken from stdin.

'--sign'
'-s'
     Make a signed archive from the given files and directories.  This
     can be combined with option '--encrypt' to create a signed and then
     encrypted archive.

'--list-archive'
'-t'
     List the contents of the specified archive.  If no file name is
     given (or it is "-") the archive is taken from stdin.

'--symmetric'
'-c'
     Encrypt with a symmetric cipher using a passphrase.  The default
     symmetric cipher used is AES-128, but may be chosen with the
     '--cipher-algo' option to 'gpg'.

'--recipient USER'
'-r USER'
     Encrypt for user id USER.  For details see 'gpg'.

'--local-user USER'
'-u USER'
     Use USER as the key to sign with.  For details see 'gpg'.

'--output FILE'
'-o FILE'
     Write the archive to the specified file FILE.

'--verbose'
'-v'
     Enable extra informational output.

'--quiet'
'-q'
     Try to be as quiet as possible.

'--skip-crypto'
     Skip all crypto operations and create or extract vanilla "ustar"
     archives.

'--dry-run'
     Do not actually output the extracted files.

'--directory DIR'
'-C DIR'
     Extract the files into the directory DIR.  The default is to take
     the directory name from the input filename.  If no input filename
     is known a directory named 'GPGARCH' is used.  For tarball
     creation, switch to directory DIR before performing any operations.

'--files-from FILE'
'-T FILE'
     Take the file names to work from the file FILE; one file per line.

'--null'
     Modify option '--files-from' to use a binary nul instead of a
     linefeed to separate file names.

'--utf8-strings'
     Assume that the file names read by '--files-from' are UTF-8
     encoded.  This option has an effect only on Windows where the
     active code page is otherwise assumed.

'--openpgp'
     This option has no effect because OpenPGP encryption and signing is
     the default.

'--cms'
     This option is reserved and shall not be used.  It will eventually
     be used to encrypt or sign using the CMS protocol; but that is not
     yet implemented.

'--batch'
     Use batch mode.  Never ask but use the default action.  This option
     is passed directly to 'gpg'.

'--yes'
     Assume "yes" on most questions.  Often used together with '--batch'
     to overwrite existing files.  This option is passed directly to
     'gpg'.

'--no'
     Assume "no" on most questions.  This option is passed directly to
     'gpg'.

'--require-compliance'
     This option is passed directly to 'gpg'.

'--status-fd N'
     Write special status strings to the file descriptor N.  See the
     file DETAILS in the documentation for a listing of them.

'--with-log'
     When extracting an encrypted tarball also write a log file with the
     gpg output to a file named after the extraction directory with the
     suffix ".log".

'--set-filename FILE'
     Use the last component of FILE as the output directory.  The
     default is to take the directory name from the input filename.  If
     no input filename is known a directory named 'GPGARCH' is used.
     This option is deprecated in favor of option '--directory'.

'--no-compress'
     This option tells gpg to disable compression (i.e.  using option
     -z0).  It is useful for archiving only large files which are
     already compressed (e.g.  a set of videos).

'--gpg GPGCMD'
     Use the specified command GPGCMD instead of 'gpg'.

'--gpg-args ARGS'
     Pass the specified extra options to 'gpg'.

'--tar-args ARGS'
     Assume ARGS are standard options of the command 'tar' and parse
     them.  The only supported tar options are "-directory",
     "-files-from", and "-null" This is an obsolete options because
     those supported tar options can also be given directly.

'--tar COMMAND'
     This is a dummy option for backward compatibility.

'--version'
     Print version of the program and exit.

'--help'
     Display a brief help page and exit.

The program returns 0 if everything was fine, 1 otherwise.

Some examples:

Encrypt the contents of directory 'mydocs' for user Bob to file 'test1':

     gpgtar --encrypt --output test1 -r Bob mydocs

List the contents of archive 'test1':

     gpgtar --list-archive test1