#!/usr/bin/perl
 # Written by Michael Howe, in a desparate attempt to get tar to backup a 63GB
 # partition onto a filesystem that has a maximum size of 4GB (FAT32, we hate
 # you).
 # Usage:
 #   Symlink 'file.tar' to 'file.00.tar'.  Set $filename and $dir appropriately.
 #   Run tar:
 #   tar -tvM -F /path/to/script.pl -f ./file.tar # lists
 #   tar -xvM -F /path/to/script.pl -f ./file.tar # extracts
 #
 #   NOTE: you should remove (or relink) file.tar after each operation, as it
 #   will be left pointing to the last file in the archive.
 #
 # IMPORTANT:
 #   This may well eat your data, and could also fry your hardware, or (worst
 #   case) lead to an alien invasion.  I claim no responsibility - use at your
 #   own risk (and remember to backup).
 
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 my $filename = "src";
 my $dir = "/tmp/tartest";
 my ( $cur, $num, $next );
 
 if ( -l "$dir/$filename.tar" ) {
     $cur = readlink( "$dir/$filename.tar" );
     ( $num ) = $cur =~ m{.*$filename\.(\d+).*};
     $num++;
     unlink( "$dir/$filename.tar" ) or die "Can't unlink $dir/$filename.tar: $!";
 } else {
     $num = 0;
 }
 $next = sprintf( "%s/%s.%02d.tar", $dir, $filename, $num );
 print "Continuing with archive $num\n";
 symlink( $next, "$dir/$filename.tar" ) && exit 0;