problems with rdist

[Joe Smith]

To add to the list of things that rdist does not do for me:

*) No bidirectional younger copy.  If remote file is newer, I want it
   copied to the master.  (See enclosed script for a fix.)

*) Complains about remote directory having the wrong permissions instead
   of fixing.  (See enclosed script for a fix.)

*) If sending selected files from wildcarded directories, (such as
   "/home/delta/*/{.login,.cshrc}"), it does not create missing directories.
   (See enclosed script for a fix.)

*) When output is redirected to a file, rdist does not flush the buffers
   after each file, and stdio buffers up 8K bytes of output.  This means
   that "tail -f logfile" cannot be used to monitor the progress in realtime.
   (I don't have the sources to rdist to fix this.)

*) Changes to the owner, group, or mode of a file are not propagated to
   the remote system unless the date (or checksum) of the file changes.
   (I don't have the sources to rdist to fix this.)


----------%<-------- cut here for "fix-warnings" --------->%----------
#!/bin/sh

# Problems in the rdist procedure are located and fixed.
# In particular, wrong protection on directories and "remote file is newer".

cmds=/tmp/fix-warnings$$.1
warn=/tmp/fix-warnings$$.2
localhost=`hostname`

# The log from rdist is piped into this script as stdin.
# Typical use is:
#	(echo; echo -n "==$$== --- starting $0 $*"; date)  >>$logfile
#	rdist -y -c some files to remotehost               >>$logfile
#	sed "1,/=$$=/D" $logfile | /etc/rdist/fix-warnings >>$logfile
# Where the use of =$$= is to select only messages from this run.

egrep "Warning|host|directory" | sed 's/:/ /g' >$warn	# keep only good stuff

sendcommands() {
  if [ -s $cmds ]; then			# check if size of file is nonzero
    echo; echo "	Commands to be executed on $remotehost:"
    cat $cmds				# list the chmod commands here
  fi
  if [ "$newfiles" != "" ]; then	# add "rdist" to list of commands
    echo "remotehost=$remotehost"        >>$cmds
    echo 'echo -n "$remotehost - "'      >>$cmds # rdist says "updating host"
    echo "rdist -y -c $newfiles $localhost" >>$cmds
    echo 'echo -n "$remotehost - ";date' >>$cmds
  fi
  if [ -s $cmds ]; then
    echo
    rsh $remotehost /bin/sh <$cmds	# do chmod or mkdir as needed
    echo
    : >$cmds				# zero out the file
  fi
  if [ "$dirfiles" != "" ]; then	# parent directory was missing
    rdist -y -c $dirfiles $remotehost	# try sending file again
  fi
}

: >$cmds
remotehost="$1" newfiles="" dirfiles="" fixed=""

# Get rid of extra stuff (such as a timestamp I put) in front of rdist's
# "updating host" message so that the name of the remote host can be found.
sed -e 's/^.*updating host/updating host/' $warn | \
(while read x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 x7 x8 x9 x10
do
  #"updating host boomer"
  if [ "$x1 $x2" = "updating host" ]; then
    if sendcommands; then hosts="$hosts $remotehost"; fi  # previous host
    remotehost=$x3	# remember name of remote host
    newfiles=""		# reset list of newer files
    dirfiles=""		# and list of files missing parent dirs
  fi
  #"/home/gemini/some/dir: Warning: remote mode 775 != local mode 2775"
  if [ "$x3 $x4" = "remote mode" ]; then
    sgid=`expr $x9 - $x5`
    if [ "$sgid" = "2000" ]; then x9="g+s"; fi
    if [ "$sgid" = "-2000" ]; then x9="g-s"; fi
    echo "chmod $x9 $x1" >>$cmds	# rdist should do this itself!
    fixed=yes
  fi
  #"Warning: /mnt/xd4h/2/02042/c00.log: remote copy is newer"
  if [ "$x5 $x6" = "is newer" ]; then
    newfiles="$newfiles $x2"
    fixed=yes
  fi
  #"rdist: boomer:/tym/7/07000/rdista08190: No such file or directory"
  if [ "$x4 $x5 $x8" = "No such directory" ]; then
    missingdir=`dirname $x3`
    dup=no
    for dir in $dirfiles
    do
      if [ $missingdir = $dir ]; then dup=yes; fi
    done
    if [ $dup = no ]; then
      # Assume that just one directory is missing.  This will create it.
      rdist -c $missingdir $remotehost	# create dir, right owner.group, mode
      # But if more than one directory is missing, "mkdir -p" creates them all.
      echo "mkdir -p $missingdir" >>$cmds
      dirfiles="$dirfiles $missingdir"	# double check for dir being updated
    fi
  fi
done
sendcommands			 # do last (or only) host
#if [ "$fixed" = "" ]; then echo "$0: no warnings"; fi
)
rm $cmds $warn
#[End of /etc/rdist/fix-warnings]#
-- 
Joe Smith (408)922-6220 | SMTP: jms at tardis.tymnet.com or jms at gemini.tymnet.com
BT Tymnet Tech Services | UUCP: ...!{ames,pyramid}!oliveb!tymix!tardis!jms
PO Box 49019, MS-C41    | BIX: smithjoe | 12 PDP-10s still running! "POPJ P,"
San Jose, CA 95161-9019 | humorous dislaimer: "My Amiga 3000 speaks for me."