Linux – order of transfer all files under a directory by rsync

if you are rsyncing from a local machine to a remote host, this would work:

rsync -avzl -e ssh /directory/with/files/ you@host.com:/new/directory/

You asked two question, one clearly stated and one only implicitly:

1. How can I copy files listed in a file named music.txt, and copy them to a destination, and ensure the modification times are in the same sequence as the files are listed?

2. How can I achieve that my MP3 player reads the files in alphabetical order from an USB stick (formatted with FAT filesystem)?

But IMHO the second one is your real one. I think, the Nissan guy sent you on the wrong track. (See XY Problem)

But enough prattled... now I try to answer both questions:

1. Your rsync approach is nearly the solution to the first question, only you used the -a parameter. Rsync's -a is equivalent to -rlptgoD, which especially includes -t:

   man rsync (...)

   This tells rsync to transfer modification times along with the files and update them on the remote system.

   Definitely not what you want. As you copy to a FAT filesystem (whicht neither support owner, groups, permission, links, etc.) I see no good reason for most of the other options provided by -a at all, so try

   rsync -rv --files-from=music.txt . ../Marys\ Music\ Sequenced/
   

2. To get your MP3 files read in alphabetical order I suggest another approach. I doubt that the files are read in the same order they are written as stated by the Nissan technician, but instead in the order they are listed in the file allocation table. And exactly for rearranging that order there is a neat tool, called fatsort.

   First, make sure your USB stick is not mounted and find the corresponding device (e.g. using cat /proc/partitions), lets say it is /dev/sdi1. Then run fatsort:

   fatsort -cn /dev/sdi1
   

   This sorts the file entries case insensitive and in so called natural order, which includes alphabetically order.¹⁾

   It's very fast and you do not need to copy all files over and over again, if you add only one other file.

¹⁾ I cannot test the command right now, but if I remember correctly, -n is what you want. If not, please consult the help (fatsort -h) yourself.