rsync - Apr 2003 - suggest warning for nonexistant compare_dest

Hello rsync developers,

The string compare_dest (in options.c) is set whenever the --compare-dest 
or --link-dest options is called.  However, if the directory specified by 
compare_dest does not exist, then the target files (which should have been 
in compare_dest) are not found, and every transfer is a full transfer.

I can't imagine that would ever be the user's intent.  Perhaps a warning
should be added when compare_dest is non-NULL but the directory it
specifies does not exist.

This might be a common problem, because users sometimes forget that paths
are relative to the destination directory and not the caller's $PWD.  
Naturally, I made that mistake myself, and J.W. fixed it.  :)

Thanks,
Mike

On Thu, Apr 24, 2003 at 10:57:53AM -0700, Michael Rubel
wrote:
> Hello rsync developers,
> 
> The string compare_dest (in options.c) is set whenever the --compare-dest 
> or --link-dest options is called.  However, if the directory specified by 
> compare_dest does not exist, then the target files (which should have been 
> in compare_dest) are not found, and every transfer is a full transfer.
> 
> I can't imagine that would ever be the user's intent.  Perhaps a
warning
> should be added when compare_dest is non-NULL but the directory it
> specifies does not exist.
It should be an error.  Just like the source path not existing.
> This might be a common problem, because users sometimes forget that paths
> are relative to the destination directory and not the caller's $PWD.  
> Naturally, I made that mistake myself, and J.W. fixed it.  :)
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike
> 
-- 
________________________________________________________________
	J.W. Schultz            Pegasystems Technologies
	email address:		jw@pegasys.ws

		Remember Cernan and Schmitt