Required Options 

-n archive_name

The value of this flag is the name of the archive. The archive_name you specify is the value of the content_name keyword.

Option for Compression 

-c

Compresses the archive by using compress(1).

Options for Directories and Sizes 

-R root

Creates the archive from the file system tree that is rooted at root. If you do not specify this option, flar create creates an archive from a file system that is rooted at /.

-S

Omits sizing information in the archive. 

-H

Does not generate the hash identifier. 

Options for Creating a Differential Archive 

-A unchanged_master_image_dir

Create a differential archive by comparing a new system image with the image that is specified by the unchanged_master_image_dir argument. By default, the new system image is root (/). You can change the default with the -R option. unchanged_master_image_dir is a directory where the unchanged master system image is stored or mounted through UFS, NFS, or lumount.

You can modify the effects of file selection for a differential archive by using the options for contents selection described in the next section of the table. 

-M

Excludes the manifest file. When you use this option, no validation occurs on the differential archive. When creating a differential archive, flar create creates a long list of the files in the system that are unchanged, are changed, and are to be deleted from the archive. This list is stored in the manifest section of the archive. When the differential archive is deployed, the software uses this list to perform a file-by-file check, ensuring the integrity of the clone system. Use of this option avoids such a check and saves the space that is used by the manifest section in a differential archive. However, you must consider the savings in time and disk space against the loss of an integrity check upon installation. Because no validation occurs, avoid using this option.

Options for Contents Selection 

Use the flar create file-exclusion options with caution. If you exclude some directories, others that you were unaware of might be left in the archive, such as system configuration files. The system would then be inconsistent and the installation would not work. Excluding directories and files is best used with data that can easily be removed without disrupting the system, such as large data files.

-y include_dir/filename

Adds to the archive those files and directories that are specified on the command line. This option is used when you've excluded a directory, but want to restore individual subdirectories or files. 

include_dir/filename is the name of the subdirectory or file to be included.

-f list_filename

Adds files and directories from a list to the archive.  

list_filename is the full path to a file that contains a list. The contents of the file are added to the file list unless -F is specified.

• The list_filename file must contain one file per line.

• If you specify a file system with -R root, the path to each file must be relative to the alternate root directory or an absolute path.

• If filename is “-”, flar create reads standard input as the list of files. When you use the value “-”, the archive size is not calculated.

-F

Uses only the files in -f list_filename to create the archive. This option makes the -f list_filename the absolute list, rather than a list that is appended to the normal file list.

-x exclude_dir/filename

Excludes files and directories from the archive. These files and directories are specified at the command line. You can use multiple instances of this option to exclude more than one file or directory. 

exclude_dir/filename is the name of the directory or file to be excluded.

-X list_filename

Excludes a list of files or directories from the archive.  

list_filename is the full path to a file that contains the list.

• The list_filename file must contain one file per line.

• If you specify a file system with -R root, the path to each file must be relative to the alternate root directory or an absolute path.

• If list_filename is “-”, flar create reads standard input as the list of files. When you use the value “-”, the archive size is not calculated.

-z list_filename

Excludes or includes a list of files or directories from the archive. Each file or directory in the list is noted with a plus “+” or minus “-”. A plus indicates an included file or directory and the minus indicates an excluded file or directory. 

list_filename is the full path to a file that contains the list.

• The list_filename file must contain one file per line.

• If you specify a file system with -R root, the path to each file must be relative to the alternate root directory or an absolute path.

-I

Override the integrity check. To prevent you from excluding important system files from an archive, flar create runs an integrity check. This check examines all files that are registered in a system package database and stops archive creation if any of them are excluded. Use of this option overrides this integrity check. Therefore, avoid the use of the -I option.

Options Used With User-Defined Sections 

-u section

Includes section as a user-defined section. To include more than one user-defined section, section must be a space-separated list of section names.

-d dir

Retrieves the section file that is specified with -u from dir.

Options Used With Tape Archives 

-t

Creates an archive on a tape device. The filename argument is the name of the tape device.

-p posn

Use only with the -t option. Specifies the position on the tape device for flar create to store the archive. If you do not use this option, flar create places the archive at the current position of the tape.

-b blocksize

Specifies the block size flar create uses when creating the archive. If you do not specify a block size, flar create uses the default block size of 64k.

Options for Archive Identification 

These keywords and values appear in the identification section of the archive. 

-U key=val

Includes user-defined keywords and values in the Archive Identification section. 

-i date

Uses date as the value for the creation_date keyword. If you do not specify a date, flar create uses the current system time and date.

-m master

Uses master as the name of the master system on which you created the archive. master is the value for the creation_master keyword. If you do not specify master, flar create uses the system name that is reported by uname -n.

-e descr

Uses descr for the value of the content_description keyword. You cannot use this option when you use the -E option.

-E descr_file

Retrieves the value for the content_description keyword from the descr_file file. You cannot use this option when you use the -e option.

-a author

Uses author as the author name in the Archive Identification section. author is the value for the content_author keyword. If you do not specify an author, flar create does not include the content_author keyword in the Archive Identification section.

-T type

Uses type as the value for the content_type keyword. type is user defined. If you do not specify a type, flar create does not include the content_type keyword.