GPGTAR(1)

NAME
gpgtar - Encrypt or sign files into an archive

SYNOPSIS
gpgtar [options] filename1 [ filename2, ... ] directory1 [ directory2, ... ]

DESCRIPTION
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.

OPTIONS
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-256, 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. This option is also required to activate the log-file in ‘common.conf’ for this program.

--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.

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

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

SEE ALSO
gpg(1), tar(1), The full documentation for this tool is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If GnuPG and the info program are properly installed at your site, the command
    info gnupg
should give you access to the complete manual including a menu structure and an index.