GPGTAR(1) GNU Privacy Guard 2.4 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 op-
tion 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 ``us-
tar'' 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 tar-
ball creation, switch to directory dir before performing any op-
erations.
--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 en-
coded. This option has an effect only on Windows where the ac-
tive 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 eventu-
ally 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 op-
tion is passed directly to gpg.
--yes Assume "yes" on most questions. Often used together with
--batch to overwrite existing files. This option is passed di-
rectly 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 de-
fault 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 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 struc-
ture and an index.
GnuPG 2.4.4 2024-01-25 GPGTAR(1)
Generated by dwww version 1.16 on Tue Dec 16 15:05:28 CET 2025.