rsync - Jul 2009 - Bug? backup_dir sometimes reported on STDOUT, sometimes not.

Running rsync 3.0.6 on OS X 10.5.7 (on a MacBook Pro) and using the -b  
flag (and -v --verbose), the "backup_dir" is reported in the output,  
but sometimes on STDOUT and sometimes somewhere else.  Note that the  
rsync daemon running on the "server" is 2.6.9 (on another MacBook Pro,
OS X 10.5.7)

For example, in bash, this happens:

axe-MBP:bin work$ /usr/local/bin/rsync -aub --dry-run -v --verbose -- 
exclude '*~' --backup-dir=/Users/work/Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/backup/
joe@Joe-MBP.local
:/Users/joe/Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/ /Users/work/Desktop/ 
Heart_and_Soul/ > /dev/null
axe-MBP:bin work$

(all output goes to STDOUT and is redirected to /dev/null)

But by swapping the input and output directories, this happens:

axe-MBP:bin work$ /usr/local/bin/rsync -aub --dry-run -v --verbose -- 
exclude '*~' --backup-dir=/Users/work/Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/backup/ / 
Users/work/Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/ joe@Joe-MBP.local:/Users/joe/ 
Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/ > /dev/null
backup_dir is /Users/work/Desktop/Heart_and_Soul/backup/
axe-MBP:bin work$

In the second case the "backup_dir" report in the output is apparently
not on STDOUT.

I'm trying to parse/postprocess rsync's STDOUT but let STDERR come  
through untouched, and I notice that half the time I get this spurious  
backup_dir line that's not redirected with the rest of the STDOUT.

- Axel

--
Axel Essbaum
axel@essbaum.com

On Fri, Jul 03, 2009 at 10:46:13PM +0200, Axel Essbaum
wrote:
> In the second case the "backup_dir" report in the output is
apparently
> not on STDOUT.
In all versions of rsync prior to 3.1.0 (which is not yet released), the
"backup_dir is ..." message is output very early in the transfer, so a
remote rsync cannot send it over the protocol (since it is not yet setup
right for messages).  It instead sends it via STDERR (since STDOUT is
being used to talk to the client rsync).  3.1.0 fixes this by moving
this output later in the sequence of events, allowing the message to
come through the protocol and go to STDOUT as expected.

You have several options:

 - Don't use double verbosity, and the message won't be output at all.
   If you want to see unchanged files, you can try -ii as an alternative
   way to get that info (though it does show even attribute changes, and
   you'd need to be able to parse the new output format).

 - Use 3.1.0 -- it's in a stable state, and I'm hoping to get it
   released before too long.  (I use it for all my rsyncing.)

 - Patch the remote rsync to move that output from options.c to main.c.
   (See the attached patch.)

..wayne..
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