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(remsync.info)mailsync

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mailsync
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     Usage: mailsync [ OPTION ] ... [ EMAIL_ADDRESS ] [ DIRECTORY ]
        or: mailsync [ OPTION ] ... SYNC_DIRECTORY

   Option -i simply sends a `ihave' package, with no bulk files.
Option -n inhibits any destructive operation and mailing.

   In the first form of the call, find a synchronisation directory in
DIRECTORY aimed towards some EMAIL_ADDRESS, then proceed with this
synchronisation directory.  EMAIL_ADDRESS may be the name of a file
containing a distribution list.  If EMAIL_ADDRESS is not specified, all
the synchronisation directories at the top level in DIRECTORY are
processed in turn.  If DIRECTORY is not specified, the current
directory is used.

   In the second form of the call, proceed only with the given
synchronisation directory SYNC_DIRECTORY.

   For proceeding with a synchronisation directory, whatever the form of
the call was, this script reads the `ident' files it contains to set
the local user and directory and the remote user and directory.  Then,
selected files under the local directory which are modified in regard
to the corresponding files in the remote directory are turned into a
synchronisation package which is mailed to the remote user.

   The list of selected files or directories to synchronize from the
local directory are given in the `list' file in the synchronisation
directory.  If this `list' file is missing, all files under the local
directory are synchronized.

   What I usually do is to `cd' at the top of the directory tree to be
synchronized, then to type `mailsync' without parameters.  This will
automatically prepare as many synchronisation packages as there are
mirror systems, then email multipart shars to each of them.  Note that
the synchronisation package is not identical for each mirror system,
because they do not usually have the same state of synchronisation.

   `mailsync' will refuse to work if anything needs to be hand cleaned
from a previous execution of `mailsync' or `resync'.  Check for some
remaining `_syncbulk' or `_synctemp' directory, or for a `_syncrm'
script.

     TODO:
     - interrogate the user if `ident' file missing.
     - automatically construct the local user address.
     - create the synchronisation directory on the fly.
     - avoid duplicating work as far as possible for multiple sends.
     - have a quicker mode, depending on stamps, not on checksums.
     - never send core, executables, backups, `.nsf*', `*/_synctemp/*', etc.