Hi,

In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same direction?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)

I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.

/usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 07/07/2023 at 12.14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same direction?
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>
>
> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>
> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html

Unless I misunderstand what you're after, there's:

"force xxx
Including the preference -force root causes Unison to resolve
all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in favor of root.
This effectively changes Unison from a synchronizer into
a mirroring utility."

--
mrg>

On 2023-07-07 13:08, marrgol wrote:
> On 07/07/2023 at 12.14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
>> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same
>> direction?
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>>
>>
>> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>>
>> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>
> Unless I misunderstand what you're after, there's:
>
> "force xxx
>   Including the preference -force root causes Unison to resolve
>   all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in favor of root.
>   This effectively changes Unison from a synchronizer into
>   a mirroring utility."

No, that affects all the files. I need this for a single file. All
others should follow normal rules.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 2023-07-07 12:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same direction?
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>
>
> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>
> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>

Alternatively, perhaps run a custom external command each time a sync is
done.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 07/07/2023 at 13.43, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2023-07-07 13:08, marrgol wrote:
>> On 07/07/2023 at 12.14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
>>> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same
>>> direction?
>>>
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>>>
>>>
>>> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>>>
>>> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>>
>> Unless I misunderstand what you're after, there's:
>>
>> "force xxx
>>   Including the preference -force root causes Unison to resolve
>>   all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in favor of root.
>>   This effectively changes Unison from a synchronizer into
>>   a mirroring utility."
>
> No, that affects all the files. I need this for a single file. All
> others should follow normal rules.

How about 'preferpartial xxx' then?

--
mrg

On 07/07/2023 at 13.43, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2023-07-07 13:08, marrgol wrote:
>> On 07/07/2023 at 12.14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
>>> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same
>>> direction?
>>>
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>>>
>>>
>>> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>>>
>>> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>>
>> Unless I misunderstand what you're after, there's:
>>
>> "force xxx
>>   Including the preference -force root causes Unison to resolve
>>   all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in favor of root.
>>   This effectively changes Unison from a synchronizer into
>>   a mirroring utility."
>
> No, that affects all the files. I need this for a single file. All
> others should follow normal rules.

How about 'forcepartial xxx' then?

--
mrg

On 2023-07-07 14:24, marrgol wrote:
> On 07/07/2023 at 13.43, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2023-07-07 13:08, marrgol wrote:
>>> On 07/07/2023 at 12.14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>>> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
>>>> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same
>>>> direction?
>>>>
>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>>>>
>>>> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>>>
>>> Unless I misunderstand what you're after, there's:
>>>
>>> "force xxx
>>>    Including the preference -force root causes Unison to resolve
>>>    all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in favor of root.
>>>    This effectively changes Unison from a synchronizer into
>>>    a mirroring utility."
>>
>> No, that affects all the files. I need this for a single file. All
>> others should follow normal rules.
>
> How about 'forcepartial xxx' then?

I was going to comment about it just now, I was checking the manual again.

forcepartial xxx
Including the preference forcepartial = PATHSPEC -> root causes
Unison to resolve all differences (even non-conflicting changes) in
favor of root for the files in PATHSPEC (see the Path Specification
section for more information). This effectively changes Unison from a
synchronizer into a mirroring utility.

You can also specify forcepartial PATHSPEC -> newer (or
forcepartial PATHSPEC older) to force Unison to choose the file with the
later (earlier) modtime. In this case, the -times preference must also
be enabled.

This preference should be used only if you are sure you know what
you are doing!

The problem is that it makes it resolve always in favor of "root". And I
need one file in one direction, and another file in reverse direction.

{I misunderstood what "root" means}

There is also this, but same problem:

preferpartial xxx
Including the preference preferpartial = PATHSPEC -> root causes
Unison always to resolve conflicts in favor of root, rather than asking
for guidance from the user, for the files in PATHSPEC (see the Path
Specification section for more information). (The syntax of root is the
same as for the root preference, plus the special values newer and older.)

This preference should be used only if you are sure you know what
you are doing!

I don't understand the syntax.

preferpartial = PATHSPEC -> root

After several tests, I arrived at:

label = ssd250_cripta - (cer is computer)
root = /home/cer/Cripta/
root = /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/

path = Documentacion
forcepartial = Name keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Name keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/

Then created the flag files:

cer@Telcontar:~> l /home/cer/Cripta/keys/flag*
/media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/keys/flag*
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 0 Jul 7 15:02 /home/cer/Cripta/keys/flagT.kdbx
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 0 Jul 7 15:02
/media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/keys/flagE.kdbx
cer@Telcontar:~>

I run unison, they are not copied, nor even listed in the GUI. I
reversed the defs:

forcepartial = Name keys/flagT.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Name keys/flagE.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

still nothing happens (it is 15:08):

cer@Telcontar:~> l /home/cer/Cripta/keys/flag*
/media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/keys/flag*
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 0 Jul 7 15:02 /home/cer/Cripta/keys/flagT.kdbx
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 0 Jul 7 15:02
/media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/keys/flagE.kdbx

Also tried:

preferpartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
preferpartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

forcepartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

forcepartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

I don't understand.

Trying:

path = Documentacion
path = keys/flagT.kdbx
path = keys/flagE.kdbx

forcepartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

Now I get:

Fatal error

Filesystem watcher error: file '/data/cripta/cer/keys/flagE.kdbx' does
not exist
The watcher can be disabled by setting preference 'watch' to false

Ok, it is correct, it exists on the other side; so the file has to
exists on both sides initially.

Bingo!

The syntax is:

path = keys/flagT.kdbx
path = keys/flagE.kdbx

preferpartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
preferpartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

And the arrow, always to the right, indicates the direction of the copy.

Now I have to change the "wrong" file, and see if it is copied in the
right direction.

I edit flagT.kdbx in "/media..., Bug unison wants it to copy to home.
That is wrong, it doesn't obey the preference.

path = keys/flagT.kdbx
path = keys/flagE.kdbx

forcepartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
forcepartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/

That does work, it says copy from /home to /media.

Solved!

--
Cheers, Carlos.

In comp.os.linux.misc Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
> On 2023-07-07 12:14, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> In unison profile, is there a way to say in the profile that a file
>> should always be copied in a certain direction, always the same direction?
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unison_(software)
>>
>>
>> I had a look at the manual, but did not see it.
>>
>> /usr/share/doc/packages/unison/unison-manual.html
>>
>
> Alternatively, perhaps run a custom external command each time a sync is
> done.

Another idea, although it does depend upon this assumption (as I do not
use unison):

Assumption: Unison has the ability to specify a list of files to be
excluded from consideration by unison.

Run two unison passes:

pass 1 - unison configured to sync everything, but with this one file
listed as "exclude" so the file is untouched by the first pass

pass 2 - unison configured to only look at the one file, and further
configured with the suggestion up thread to set that file to "one
direction".

On 2023-07-07 15:50, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 2023-07-07 14:24, marrgol wrote:
>> On 07/07/2023 at 13.43, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>> On 2023-07-07 13:08, marrgol wrote:

> After several tests, I arrived at:
>
> label = ssd250_cripta - (cer is computer)
> root = /home/cer/Cripta/
> root = /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/

....

> I edit flagT.kdbx in "/media..., Bug unison wants it to copy to home.
> That is wrong, it doesn't obey the preference.
>
> path = keys/flagT.kdbx
> path = keys/flagE.kdbx
>
> forcepartial = Path keys/flagE.kdbx -> /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Cripta/
> forcepartial = Path keys/flagT.kdbx -> /home/cer/Cripta/
>
> That does work, it says copy from /home to /media.
>
>
> Solved!

After this success, I had success at another thing nagging me for years.

I keep a file named "howto" where I keep, well, how to do things in the
computer. I tend to edit it on desktop and laptop, but I wanted to keep
the files in sync. Difficult when I have changes on both sides. Solution:

label = ssd250_Documents - (ssd is computer)
root = /home/cer/Documents/
root = /media/ssd250_xfs_c/cer/Documents/

path = ssd

path = Howtos/howto
merge = Path Howtos/howto -> meld CURRENT1 CURRENT2

The initial idea I got from this wiki:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/unison#Merging_in_Emacs

The unison manual talks about it, in the "Changes since 2.6.38" section:

merge2 = emacs -q --eval '(ediff-merge-files "CURRENT1" "CURRENT2"
nil "NEW")'
merge = emacs -q --eval '(ediff-merge-files-with-ancestor
"CURRENT1" "CURRENT2" "OLD" nil "NEW")'

Not being an emacs fan, I thought about "meld", which I like and use. I
was not the first one to ask:

https://serverfault.com/questions/1046632/how-do-i-set-up-unison-to-open-the-meld-gui-when-i-choose-to-merge-in-the-unison

--
Cheers, Carlos.