2009-04-15 - DO NOT USE THIS - it does not properly mirror!

Software > Backups >

(on Wikipedia)
https://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/

File synchronizer.

• Unison File Synchronizer

• manual

--

• 2011-08-17ish.. - (version not recorded) on Unity Linux

  • Before the Mandriva repository switch.
• 2009-04-01 - 2.30.4 on PCLinuxOS (version not recorded)
• 2005-05-?? - (version not recorded) on PCLinuxOS (version not recorded)

2011-08-17ish.. - (version not recorded) ∞

\gksudo \smart install ocaml
\make

• A massive memory hog.
• Takes fucking forever on its first run.

• It does not understand directory or file moving.

  • I fail to see why.. if it's tracking hashes for every single file /then it should know/. It could track inodes or some such.

• Definitely replaces rsync, as long as your setup and computer can handle Unison.

2009-04-01 - 2.30.4 ∞

apt-get install unison

It's all fancy and GUI.. and seems to specifically abuse a user who wants something simple at the commandline. It keeps bugging me with profile-related shit.

I figured it out, but none of it was documented. Sigh.

• How the hell do I make it just go from the commandline?
• Doesn't give an completion estimation of any kind. I have no clue how much is left to do.
• Cannot be aborted with control-c

• Needs to scan before copying.

  • This is unavoidable because I want to delete files on the destination. The default scan is also extra-slow so that it's more thorough/safe. This can be changed, but I really don't want to.

2005-05-?? - (version not recorded) ∞

Overdone, overcomplicated, takes too long, too interactive, no safe sane shortcuts... sigh. It could be so good..

Not being developed, although it's not abandoned.

apt-get install ocaml
make

/bin/sh: ocamlc: command not found
/bin/sh: ocamlc: command not found
ocamlc -o mkProjectInfo mkProjectInfo.ml
make: ocamlc: Command not found
make: *** [mkProjectInfo] Error 127

I can download a binary though..

Usage ∞

DOES NOT WORK - Mirroring and commandline use ∞

Unison doesn't properly mirror. Abandon it!!!!

2009-04-01 -- It took me forever to figure this out. A simple commandline is possible. Screw all that profile crap.

Goal: Mirroring:

• Given two directories,
• Anything new in the first is copied to the second,

• Anything new in the second is deleted.

1. Get Unison: Available in Synaptic as 'unison', or apt-get install unison

2. Set Unison up. I've made this as easily as possible. Just copy-and-paste this script (update the SCRIPT= line if you need to):

# Customize this:
SCRIPT=~/bin/unisonsync.sh

# Make an empty unison profile.  I see no way to avoid this.
echo "#" > ~/.unison/cmd
# Make the main script
(
cat<<'UNISON_SCRIPT'
# If unison was aborted (power loss, kill -9) it leaves temp files on the destination.
# They must be deleted because unison isn't smart enough to do that, or resume properly.
echo " # Scanning destination, to delete any unison temp files.."
find "${2:-.}" -type f -name '.unison.*.unison.tmp' -exec rm -fv "{}" \;
echo " .. completed"
echo " # Scanning destination, to delete any unison temp directories.."
find "${2:-.}" -type d -name '.unison.*.unison.tmp' -exec rm -rfv "{}" \;
echo " .. completed"
echo " # Starting Unison.."
# If you wish, you could use -silent
# But if you do, then also use -logfile ~/union.log
unison cmd -times -batch -ui text -force "${1:-.}" -root "${1:-.}" -root "${2:-.}"
echo " .. completed"
) > "$SCRIPT" ; chmod +x "$SCRIPT"

3. Usage:

unisonsync path1 path2

Notes:

Want to make it seriously magical? Try -repeat x where x is a pause before it repeats itself. Perfect for keeping a good updated sync.

Perhaps it could be placed in your rc.local? I have not tested this. I prefer to run it manually so I can see any issues, and so that I don't have a slow system trying to use it during a mirror.

Permissions ∞

(source not recorded)

Check /home/.unison/PROFILE_NAME and append the string perms = 0.

Last updated 2021-02-03 at 11:48:51