SYNCTREE(1)SYNCTREE(1)NAMEsynctree - synchronize directory trees.
SYNOPSISsynctree [-iuf] [[user1@]machine1:]dir1 [[user2@]machine2:]dir2
DESCRIPTION
Synctree synchronizes the directory tree rooted at dir2 with dir1. It
walks recursively through both trees, and deletes and adds files in
dir2 to make it equal to dir1. Mode, owner and group are set for each
file unless the -u flag is given. In its normal mode of operation,
synctree will ask if it may delete or add directories assuming that you
don't want to. Non-directories are simply deleted or added, but sync‐
tree will ask if it needs to update a normal file with a default answer
of 'y'. Simply typing return will choose the default answer, typing
end-of-file is like typing return to this question and all other ques‐
tions.
You can specify a hostname and user-id to be used to access dir1 or
dir2. Synctree will use rsh(1) to run a copy of itself on the remote
machine. The call interface mimics that of rcp(1), but you can use
more than one user@machine prefix if you want to make things really
interesting.
Hard links are enforced, an update is done by first deleting the old
file so that links to unknown files are broken. Links to files within
dir2 will be restored.
If either directory contains the file .backup, then this file will be
used as an alternate inode table. This allows one to make a backup
copy of a file tree full of special files and differing user-ids on a
remote machine under an unpriviledged user-id.
OPTIONS-i Ask for permission (with default answer 'n') to delete or add any
file or directory.
-u Only install newer files, i.e. merge the directory trees.
-f Don't ask, think 'yes' on any question.
SEE ALSOremsync(1), cpdir(1), rsh(1), rcp(1), perror(3).
DIAGNOSTICS
Messages may come from three different processes. One named "Slave"
running in dir1, one named "Master" running in dir2, and synctree
itself in a mediator role. The mediator will also perform the task of
either the master or the slave if one of them is running locally. You
need to know this to interpret the error messages coming from one of
these processes. The messages are normally based on perror(3). Fail‐
ure to contact a remote machine will be reported by rsh. Synctree
should have a zero exit status if no errors have been encountered.
BUGS
Directory dir2 will be created without asking.
The master and slave processes get their error output mixed up some‐
times (nice puzzle).
The local and remote machine must use the same file type encoding.
The link replacement strategy may lead to lack of space on a small
device. Let synctree run to completion and then rerun it to pick up
the pieces.
Letting the local process keep its "synctree" name may be a mistake.
It talks too much.
AUTHOR
Kees J. Bot, (kjb@cs.vu.nl)
SYNCTREE(1)
