Bash Script

A bash script is available here (text form)
To use the script, first set the downloaded file's executable bit by entering

chmod +x rea_compress.sh

then, you can either enter the file name on the command line and it will run in interactive mode and determine
the settings you want by asking you questions, or you can use the following syntax to do it all at once:

rea_compress <image folder> [output filename]

Manual Image Creation

Supported formats:

• zip (.zip)
• gzip (.tar.gz, .tgz)
• bzip2 (.tar.bz2, .tbz2)
• no others (yet)

Use only the extensions/types listed above or the decompression script will be confused.

Place the following file types in a flat archive (no subfolders):

• .vmdk
• .vmsd
• .nvram
• .vmx
• IF the machine is in a suspended state, include:
• .vmss
• .vmem

Example commands (run from inside the VM's directory) for *nix or Cygwin:

• zip (The first line is always for suspended machines, the second for non-suspended):
• zip -9 -T <MachineName>.zip *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmss *.vmem
• zip -9 -T <MachineName>.zip *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram
• 
  
• gzip (manual download: source binaries):
• GNU tar supports the z flag:
• tar -czf <MachineName>.tar.gz *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmss *.vmem
• tar -czf <MachineName>.tar.gz *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram
• UNIX tar doesn't support the z flag or pipe:
• tar -cf <MachineName>.tar *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmss *.vmem ; gzip -9 <MachineName>.tar
• tar -cf <MachineName>.tar *.vmdk *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmx ; gzip -9 <MachineName>.tar
• bzip2 (manual downloads):
• GNU tar supports the j flag:
  
• tar -cjf <MachineName>.tar.bz2 *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmss *.vmem
• tar -cjf <MachineName>.tar.bz2 *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram
• UNIX tar doesn't support the j flag or pipe:
• tar -cf <MachineName>.tar *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram *.vmss *.vmem ; bzip2 -9 <MachineName>.tar
• tar -cf <MachineName>.tar *.vmdk *.vmx *.vmsd *.nvram ; bzip2 -9 <MachineName>.tar

How can I tell if I'm using UNIX tar?

Entering the following command:

tar -z

should cause UNIX tar to reply with the following message:

tar: z: unknown option
Usage: tar {txruc}[vfbFXhiBEelmopwnq[0-7]] [-k size] [tapefile] [blocksize] [exclude-file] [-I include-file] files ...

instead of the message that GNU tar replies with:

tar: You must specify one of the `-Acdtrux' options
Try `tar --help' or `tar --usage' for more information.

Furthermore, entering

tar --help

will cause UNIX tar to respond with relatively short usage message whereas GNU tar will respond
with many many lines of detailed instructions.

Written for the CERIAS ReAssure project by Drew Anderson