Score:2

Ubuntu

Using wildcards in "sources" for `rsync` command

FedKad

6/21/23, 12:45 PM

I am trying to backup some files on another drive using rsync.

As a test case, I am trying the following command:

rsync -Rav --delete --stats /home/my_user/bin* "$dest"

This command will copy files and directories (with their contents) present in my $HOME directory and having names like ~/bin, ~/binb, ~/bin1, ~/bin2, etc. to the destination.

However, when I delete any of the files or directories called ~/bin1 or ~/bin2 for example, these are not deleted in the destination too. The only thing that works is when there is a file in a directory say ~/bin2/file1 and this file is deleted, then this file is also deleted in the destination (but not in the case when the directory ~/bin2/ is removed altogether).

Obviously this problem is created by the shell expanding /home/my_user/bin* to all the file and directory names starting with bin in my $HOME directory at the time the rsync command is executed. So, I tried to quote the source like "/home/my_user/bin*", but in this case I get the error:

rsync: [sender] link_stat "/home/my_user/bin*" failed: No such file or directory (2)

What options are needed, so, I can use wildcards for the source(s) and I will have the exact replica of the source file and directory structure, also in the destination?

Note: rsync version 3.2.3 protocol version 31

0 + 0

command-line

backup

rsync

21.10

Artur Meinild

6/21/23, 12:50 PM

Did you try `--delete-after` instead of just `--delete`?

FedKad

6/21/23, 12:53 PM

@ArturMeinild The end result does not change.

pLumo

6/21/23, 1:06 PM

I guess you should use a different structure where you have everything in one parent only, `~/bin/1` `~/bin/2` ...

Artur Meinild

6/21/23, 1:19 PM

You need to consider pLumo's advice, unless you want to find a way to get the directory listing on the destination host to include as additional sources in your command.

Score:5

Ubuntu

pLumo

6/21/23, 1:21 PM

You can use --include / --exclude like:

rsync -Rav --delete \
  --include="/home/my_user/bin*" \
  --exclude="/home/my_user/*" \
/home/my_user/ "$dest"

But I think it would be easier to have a different structure where you can sync only one parent directory.

0 + 0

FedKad

6/21/23, 1:47 PM

Thanks. In my case, the `--include` option should be like this: `--include="/home/my_user/bin*"` (with no trailing slash).

pLumo

6/21/23, 1:51 PM

ah yes, because you also want files starting with `bin`, fixed

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Using wildcards in "sources" for `rsync` command

TH: การใช้สัญลักษณ์แทนใน "แหล่งที่มา" สำหรับคำสั่ง `rsync`

RO: Folosind caractere metalice în „surse” pentru comanda `rsync`

RU: Использование подстановочных знаков в «источниках» для команды `rsync`

VI: Sử dụng ký tự đại diện trong "nguồn" cho lệnh `rsync`

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