rsync copying files it doesn't need to

[Dave Mitchell]

On Wed, Jan 11, 2006 at 10:27:37AM +0000, Jonathan Underwood wrote:
> I am using a simple rsync command to synchronise a directory across two 
> machines:
> 
> rsync -e "ssh" -va --delete /home/jgu/ user at remote:/home/jgu/backup
> 
> Which does everything one would expect... and more. For some reason, 
> *every* time I run this, it copies accross 5 files which haven't changed:
> 
> equipment/FDI_camera/Drivers and Setup Files/
> equipment/FDI_camera/Drivers and Setup Files/FDI Picasso (dll based)/
> equipment/FDI_camera/Drivers and Setup Files/FDI Picasso Labview VI's 
> and intermediate support dll/
> equipment/FDI_camera/Drivers and Setup Files/Picasso Rev-B SDK v4.52 
> (04-20004)  installer/
> equipment/FDI_camera/Manuals/
> 
> I have no idea why it is continually thinking these files have changed 
> locally. I initially thought it might be because there are spaces in the 
> file and directory names, but the last of these 5 does not have spaces. 
> Is this a bug with rsync?

Those aren't files, they're directories; and presumably the directories
have changed - eg by creating and then deleting a temporary file in the
directory. In that case, rsync will have to update the last modified
timestamp on the remote directorry.

-- 
The Enterprise is involved in a bizarre time-warp experience which is in
some way unconnected with the Late 20th Century.
    -- Things That Never Happen in "Star Trek" #14