Multiple --compare-dest args again

Vidar Madsen
Tue, 22 Jun 2004 21:43:55 -0000

Hi all.

A while ago (April 15th or so) I posted a patch that allows rsync to
take multiple --compare-dest or --link-dest arguments, allowing
fetching of files not present in multiple trees. I never got any
feedback on it, though, so I'm picking it up again. :) Is there any
interest in such a patch at all?

Below is the usage example i outlined back then;

--start--
[...] Its primary usage is to do incremental
backups on top of eachother. (My current backup system stores each
incremental as a set of files that differ from the latest full.)

Example:

  First full backup:
  rsync -a somedir full-20040415/

  First incremental:
  rsync -a --compare-dest=../full-20040415 \
        somedir incr-20040416/

  Second incremental, on top of first:
  rsync -a --compare-dest=../incr-20040416 --compare-dest=../full-20040415
        somedir incr-20040417/

(The args must be given in the correct order; Latest incremental first,
last resort last.)

It scratches my itch, at least. Perhaps it can be of use to others as
well. :)
--end--

I'll skip attaching the patch for now, as I haven't updated it to fit
CVS, but I'll update it should there be any interest.

Yours,
Vidar