rsync - incremental file list sent but files not updated on server

Question

I am working with some source files from a desktop computer. The source files compile and run on a remote server.

As there is a significant delay between me and the server, I have decided to use rsync to copy the files down to my computer, edit them, and then sync them back up, again using rsync.

However there is a problem... rsync doesn't update the files when I sync them back up to the server after editing them at my end. The incremental file list is sent, but the file contents are unmodified.

Here is a full output of my bash session which will explain in detail what happens.

• I have some files on my local machine. I edit one of those files, using an editor such as vim. The file structure is fairly generic. I have a project root directory called 2016-07-01, which contains many subfolders and source files. The folder is just named with the date as a method of version control.

(bash)

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project/2016-07-01
user@server's password: [enter password] 
sending incremental file list
2016-07-01/subfolder/
2016-07-01/subfolder/main.cpp

sent 2,238 bytes  received 272 bytes  557.78 bytes/sec
total size is 632,957  speedup is 252.17

• It looks like main.cpp has been updated, but when I ssh into the server and open it with vim I see that it is unchanged. Why is this happening?

• I then run the same command again and the following output is produced...

(bash)

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project/2016-07-01
user@server's password: [enter password] 
sending incremental file list

sent 1,342 bytes  received 36 bytes  110.24 bytes/sec
total size is 632,957  speedup is 459.33

• This time no incremental file list is sent - I am not sure why - it is as if rsync thinks it has updated the files already and therefore does nothing when it has not...

• If I check main.cpp at my end it has definitely been changed.

• main.cpp on the server side is unchanged.

I have also tried using the -c flag for checksums rather than date-time-stamps, again the same result is seen.

Solution

In short, this is not the correct command...

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project/2016-07-01

This is the correct command...

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project

Note, no forward slash or directory name for destination - when these are left off rsync will create the directory as required. I think the / and 2016-07-01 imply 2 different things should be done. No / means create directory. I am not sure what the effect of adding/removing the 2016-07-01 is if the / is there. Perhaps someone can clarify this.

Also note there are 3 ways of addressing the destination on the remote server.

• Using the above method starting the address with .. The rsync command defaults to the users home directory, so this relative path to the home directory works.

• One can also type out the full absolute path from the root directory. For me this is something like /afs/servername/u/username/rest_of_path_from_home_dir

• Finally, using the ~ expansion as a shortcut for the above will also work.

Comments

[JasonAzze]

You are rsyncing to "user's" ~/path-to-project/2016-07-01. Is that where you are looking when you ssh to the server and open the file?

[user3728501]

@JasonAzze It is not. How can I get the '~' for "user" on the SERVER side?