Rsync does not sync .htaccess file

Question

I am trying to create the rsync A directory of server1 with the directory B of server2.

Sitting in directory A of server1, I ran the following commands.

rsync -av * server2::sharename/B 

but it’s interesting that it synchronizes all files and directories except .htaccess or any hidden file in directory A. Any hidden files in subdirectories are synchronized.

I also tried the following command:

 rsync -av --include=".htaccess" * server2::sharename/B 

but the results are the same.

Any ideas why hidden directory files are not syncing and how to fix them. I work as root user.

thank

Answer 1

This is because * by default applies to all files in the current working directory, with the exception of files whose name begins with a period. Thus rsync never receives these files as arguments.

You can pass . by specifying the current working directory on rsync :

 rsync -av . server2::sharename/B 

This rsync method will look for files to transfer in the current working directory, and not look for them in what * extends.

Alternatively, you can use the following command to do * expand for all files, including those starting with a period:

 shopt -s dotglob 

See also shopt man page .

Answer 2

For those who are just trying to synchronize directories between servers (including all hidden files) - for example, synchronizing somedirA on source-server to somedirB on the target server - try :

 rsync -avz -e ssh --progress user@source-server:/somedirA/ somedirB/ 

Note the slashes at the end of both paths. Any other syntax may produce unexpected results!

---

Also, it’s easiest for me to execute rsync commands from the target server, because it’s easier to make sure that I have proper write access (i.e. I may need to add sudo to the above command).

Perhaps it goes without saying, but obviously, your remote user also needs read access to somedirA on the source server. :)

Answer 3

I had the same problem.

For me, when I executed the following command, hidden files did n’t get rsync'ed

 rsync -av /home/user1 wobgalaxy02:/home/user1 

But when I added slashes at the end of the paths, the hidden files were rsync'ed.

 rsync -av /home/user1/ wobgalaxy02:/home/user1/ 

Pay attention to the slashes at the end of the paths , as Brian Lacy said that slashes are the key. I have no reputation to comment on his post, or I would do it.

Answer 4

I think the problem is with shell expansion expansion. Use. instead of a star.

Consider the following example directory contents

 $ ls -a . . .. .htaccess a.html z.js 

The shell wildcard extension converts the argument list that rsync receives from

 -av * server2::sharename/B 

at

 -av a.html z.js server2::sharename/B 

before the command starts running.

Answer 5

* Tell rsynch not to sync hidden files. Have you tried to skip it?