Linux – Rsync copying current directory with name

backupcplinuxrsync

I want to copy current directory to my backup directory:

I tried this command rsync -a . ~/backup/ but it just copies the current directory contents instead of creating new directory at the destination.

I know creating new directory at the destination end can be achieved by avoiding the trailing slash in source path. But it does not work in my case since I am using a period(".") instead of directory name.

I want rsync to create a new directory at the destination path with name same as the current directory. How can I achieve this?

Best Answer

I like your script but, if needed, you can do it by command line directly from the current directory:

rsync -a "$PWD" ~/backup/

or in a way similar to your script approach with 

rsync -a "$(pwd -P)" ~/backup/

Notes:

  • It is needed to quote the current directory if in the path is present, for example, one or more spaces.

  • In case of symbolic links in the path it is possible to obtain the physical path avoiding all the symlinks specifying the option -P in the pwd command invocation ($(pwd -P)), or calling the executable with its full path ($(/bin/pwd)).
    Indeed there exists the built-in pwd that by default shows the symlinked path, and the executable /bin/pwd that by default shows the physical path.

  • Both commands refer to the variable $PWD that contains the the present working directory when they are asked for the version of the path with the eventual symlinks: so if you do not strictly need the physical path, you can avoid to call the subshell and use directly the variable $PWD. 

    rsync -a "$PWD" ~/backup/
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