-@node Invoking @code{tar}, Tutorial, Introduction, Top
-@chapter How To Invoke @code{tar}
-
-You can use @code{tar} to store files in an archive, to extract them
-from an archive, and to do other types of archive manipulation. The
-primary argument to @code{tar}, which is called the @dfn{operation},
-specifies which action to take. The other arguments to @code{tar} are
-either @dfn{options}, which change the way @code{tar} performs an
-operation, or @dfn{file-names}, which specify the files @code{tar} is
-to act on. The typical @code{tar} command line syntax is:
-
-@example
-@code{tar} @var{operation} [@var{options}...] [@var{file-names}...]
-@end example
-
-Note: You can actually type in arguments in any order. In this manual
-the operation is always first, the options second and the file-name
-arguments last, to make examples easier to understand.
-
-@menu
-* Argument Functions:: The Functions of Arguments
-* Argument Form:: The Forms of Arguments
-* Old Syntax for Commands:: An Old, but Still Supported, Syntax
- for @code{tar} Commands
-@end menu
-
-@node Argument Functions, Argument Form, Invoking @code{tar}, Invoking @code{tar}
-@section The Functions of Arguments
-
-The primary argument to @code{tar} is the @dfn{operation}, which
-specifies what @code{tar} does. @code{tar} can be used to:
-
-@itemize
-@item
-Add files to an existing archive (@samp{+add-file}, @samp+{append} or
-@samp{-r})
-
-@item
-Compare files in an archive with files in the file system
-(@samp{+compare}, @samp{+diff} or @samp{-d})
-@c !!! is diff still working?? --- yes -ringo
-
-@item
-Add archives to another archive (@samp{+add-archive}, @samp{+catenate}
-or @samp{-A})
-@c was +concatenate. -ringo
-
-@item
-Create an archive (@samp{+create} or @samp{-c})
-
-@item
-Delete files from an archive (@samp{+delete})
-@c -D should have been removed -ringo
-
-@item
-Extract files from an archive (@samp{+extract}, @samp{+get} or @samp{-x})
-
-@item
-List the files in an archive (@samp{+list} or @samp{-t})
-
-@item
-Update an archive by appending newer versions of already stored files
-(@samp{+update} or @samp{-u})
-@end itemize
-
-@xref{Reading and Writing}, for more information about these
-operations.
-
-@dfn{Option} arguments to @code{tar} change details of the operation,
-such as archive format, archive name, or level of user interaction.
-You can specify more than one option. All options are optional.
-
-@dfn{File-name} arguments specify which files (including directory
-files) to archive, extract, delete or otherwise operate on.
-
-If you don't use any file-name arguments, @samp{+add-file},
-@samp{+update} and @samp{+delete} will do nothing. The other
-operations of @code{tar} will act on defaults.
-
-When you use a file-name argument to specify a directory file,
-@code{tar} acts on all the files in that directory, including
-sub-directories.
-
-@node Argument Form, Old Syntax for Commands, Argument Functions, Invoking @code{tar}
-@section The Forms of Arguments
-
-Most operations of @code{tar} have a single letter form (a single
-letter preceded by a @samp{-}), and at least one mnemonic form (a
-word or abbreviation preceded by a @samp{+}). The forms are
-identical in function. For example, you can use either @samp{tar -t}
-or @samp{tar +list} to list the contents of an archive
-
-Options, like operations, have both single letter and mnemonic forms.
-Options, however, may also incorporate an argument. Single letter
-options are separated from their arguments by a space. Mnemonic
-options are separated from their arguments by an @samp{=} sign. For
-example, to create an an archive file named @file{george}, use either
-@samp{tar +create +file=george} or @samp{tar +create -f george}. Both
-@samp{+file=@var{archive-name}} and @samp{-f @var{archive-name}}
-denote the option to give the archive a non-default name, which in the
-example is @samp{george}.
-
-You can mix single letter and mnemonic forms in the same command. You
-could type the above example as @samp{tar -c +file=george} or
-@samp{tar +create -f george}. However, @code{tar} operations and
-options are case sensitive. You would not type the above example as
-@samp{tar -C +file=george}, because @samp{-C} is an option that causes
-@code{tar} to change directories, not an operation that creates an
-archive.
-
-File-name arguments are the names of files (including directories).
-These names can be specified on the command line or read from a text
-file in the file system (using the @samp{+files-from} option). Files
-stored in an archive are called @dfn{archive members}. The operations
-@samp{+delete}, @samp{+extract}, @samp{+list}, @samp{+compare} and
-@samp{+update} take the names of archive members as file-name
-arguments. The other operations take the names of files in the file
-system.
-
-@code{tar} interprets relative file names as being relative to the
-working directory. @code{tar} will make all file names relative (by
-removing leading @samp{/}s when archiving or restoring files), unless
-you specify otherwise (using the @samp{+absolute-paths} option).
-@xref{File Name Interpretation}, for more information about
-@samp{+absolute-paths}.
-@c >>> yet another node name that is probably wrong.
-
-@node Old Syntax for Commands, , Argument Form, Invoking @code{tar}
-@section An Old, but Still Supported, Syntax for @code{tar} Commands
-
-For historical reasons, GNU @code{tar} also accepts a syntax for
-commands which splits options that include arguments into two parts.
-That syntax is of the form:
-
-@example
-@code{tar} @var{operation}[@var{option-letters}...] [@var{option-arguments}...] [@var{file-names}...]@refill
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-where arguments to the options appear in the same order as the letters
-to which they correspond, and the operation and all the option letters
-appear as a single argument, without separating spaces.
-
-This command syntax is useful because it lets you type the single
-letter forms of the operation and options as a single argument to
-@code{tar}, without writing preceding @samp{-}s or inserting spaces
-between letters. @samp{tar cv} or @samp{tar -cv} are equivalent to
-@samp{tar -c -v}.
-
-This old style syntax makes it difficult to match option letters with
-their corresponding arguments, and is often confusing. In the command
-@samp{tar cvbf 20 /dev/rmt0}, for example, @samp{20} is the argument
-for @samp{-b}, @samp{/dev/rmt0} is the argument for @samp{-f}, and
-@samp{-v} does not have a corresponding argument. The modern
-syntax---@samp{tar -c -v -b 20 -f /dev/rmt0}---is clearer.
-