Re: pax(1) unable to understand binary packages format

[Greg Troxel <gdt%lexort.com@localhost>]

Anthony Mallet <anthony.mallet%laas.fr@localhost> writes:

> I recently noticed that our pax(1) is unable to understand "POSIX
> extended attributes" that are present in binary packages archives.
>
> This is probably so since the addition of:
> 	archive_write_set_format_pax_restricted(archive);
> 	archive_write_set_options(archive, "hdrcharset=BINARY");
> in build.c of pkg_create(1) which was introduced in ~2017.
>
> I know that our tar(1) is fine, since it also uses libarchive, and I'm
> also aware of wip/paxmirabilis that provides a great replacement for
> our pax but I was wondering if there are any plans to improve /bin/pax
> in the future?

A good question, which probably belongs on tech-userlevel, if you mean
the pax in NetBSD, or here if you mean pax built from pkgsrc.   I'm
unclear on the details, but you figuring them  out and posting an
analysis of what is and what might be, and what the implications are,
seems reasonable -- if you are inclined.