missing: if GNU tar exists but fails when called, give up

* lib/missing: If the code trying to run GNU tar is reached,
don't continue if the invoked GNU tar program fails, as there
is little point in doing so (and can even be confusing and
counter-productive).

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 2d2bcdb2261b7db0f66730e53d3ff47f365db5b4..92297ecfe71a3e117c31c0cd54efa14b4a9eb1fb 100644 (file)
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2011-12-22  Stefano Lattarini  <stefano.lattarini@gmail.com>
+
+       missing: if GNU tar exists but fails when called, give up
+       * lib/missing: If the code trying to run GNU tar is reached,
+       don't continue if the invoked GNU tar program fails, as there
+       is little point in doing so (and can even be confusing and
+       counter-productive).
+
 2011-12-22  Stefano Lattarini  <stefano.lattarini@gmail.com>
 
        missing: miscellaneous fixlets

diff --git a/lib/missing b/lib/missing
index df2faf6f94a4594ca0e993c4c6b8bf248606e75c..411123ff75d40f62e5d0bd867a3e3a2d1b2a93ec 100755 (executable)
--- a/lib/missing
+++ b/lib/missing
@@ -320,14 +320,13 @@ WARNING: \`$1' is $msg.  You should only need it if
 
   tar*)
     shift
-    # We have already tried tar in the generic part.
-    # Look for gnutar/gtar before invocation to avoid ugly error
-    # messages.
+    # We have already tried tar in the generic part.  So try with GNU tar.
+    # Look for gnutar/gtar before invocation to avoid ugly error messages.
     if (gnutar --version) > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-       gnutar "$@" && exit 0
+       exec gnutar "$@"
     fi
     if (gtar --version) > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-       gtar "$@" && exit 0
+       exec gtar "$@"
     fi
     firstarg=$1
     if shift; then