Rsync error sending incremental file list

I am working with some source files from a desktop computer. The source files compile and run on a remote server.

As there is a significant delay between me and the server, I have decided to use rsync to copy the files down to my computer, edit them, and then sync them back up, again using rsync.

However there is a problem… rsync doesn’t update the files when I sync them back up to the server after editing them at my end. The incremental file list is sent, but the file contents are unmodified.

Here is a full output of my bash session which will explain in detail what happens.

• I have some files on my local machine. I edit one of those files, using an editor such as vim. The file structure is fairly generic. I have a project root directory called 2016-07-01, which contains many subfolders and source files. The folder is just named with the date as a method of version control.

(bash)

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project/2016-07-01
user@server's password: [enter password] 
sending incremental file list
2016-07-01/subfolder/
2016-07-01/subfolder/main.cpp

sent 2,238 bytes  received 272 bytes  557.78 bytes/sec
total size is 632,957  speedup is 252.17

• It looks like main.cpp has been updated, but when I ssh into the server and open it with vim I see that it is unchanged. Why is this happening?

• I then run the same command again and the following output is produced…

(bash)

$ rsync -av ./2016-07-01 user@server:./path-to-project/2016-07-01
user@server's password: [enter password] 
sending incremental file list

sent 1,342 bytes  received 36 bytes  110.24 bytes/sec
total size is 632,957  speedup is 459.33

• This time no incremental file list is sent — I am not sure why — it is as if rsync thinks it has updated the files already and therefore does nothing when it has not…

• If I check main.cpp at my end it has definitely been changed.

• main.cpp on the server side is unchanged.

I have also tried using the -c flag for checksums rather than date-time-stamps, again the same result is seen.

rsync -rv --delete /home/computername/filename /dev/disk/by-label/Flashdrivename

7

In a bash script (Arch Linux) I have the following rsync command:

rsync –nvaAHX --inplace --delete-delay --exclude-from="/etc/$path1/exclude-list-$configName.txt" "$new_snap/" "$BACKUPDIR"

The rsync command fails with the following error:

rsync: --delete does not work without --recursive (-r) or --dirs (-d).

Of course, that message is misleading as «a» implies «r».

If I remove the option «—delete-delay» from the rsync command, I get this different error:

rsync: link_stat "/some/path/–aAHX" failed: No such file or directory (2)

The value shown at «/some/path» is the current working directory. If I change the current directory, that value in the error message changes as well. However, why the options «-aAHX» would be appended to any part of the path is confusing.

The computer is a fully updated Arch Linux system. I just rebooted it as well.

4.13.11-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Nov 2 10:25:56 CET 2017 x86_64 GNU/Linux

rsync program location:

# which rsync
/usr/bin/rsync

Here is the test script:

#!/bin/bash

path1=xyz
configName=root
new_snap=/.snapshots/1/snapshot
BACKUPDIR=/backup/$configName

echo "showing exclude file contents:"

cat "/etc/$path1/exclude-list-$configName.txt"

echo

echo rsync –nvaAHX --inplace --delete-delay --exclude-from="/etc/$path1/exclude-list-$configName.txt" "$new_snap/" "$BACKUPDIR"

rsync –nvaAHX --inplace --delete-delay --exclude-from="/etc/$path1/exclude-list-$configName.txt" "$new_snap/" "$BACKUPDIR"

Here are the contents of the file «/etc/$path/exclude-list-$configName.txt»:

"dev/*"
"proc/*"
"sys/*"
"tmp/*"
"run/*"
"mnt/*"
"media/*"
"lost+found"
".trash*/*"
".Trash*/*"

Here is some testing without any script at all. I find it baffling.

# mkdir adir
# mkdir bdir
# touch adir/afile1
# touch adir/afile2

# ls -la adir/
total 0
drwxr-x--x 1 root root           24 Nov 12 02:21 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 user user         2080 Nov 12 02:28 ..
-rw-r----- 1 root root            0 Nov 12 02:21 afile1
-rw-r----- 1 root root            0 Nov 12 02:21 afile2
# ls -la bdir/
total 0
drwxr-x--x 1 root root            0 Nov 12 02:21 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 user user         2080 Nov 12 02:28 ..


# rsync -nva adir/ bdir
sending incremental file list
./
afile1
afile2

sent 93 bytes  received 25 bytes  236.00 bytes/sec
total size is 0  speedup is 0.00 (DRY RUN)

# rsync -nva /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir
sending incremental file list
./
afile1
afile2

sent 93 bytes  received 25 bytes  236.00 bytes/sec
total size is 0  speedup is 0.00 (DRY RUN)


# rsync –nvaAHX --inplace --delete-delay --exclude-from=/root/exclude-list-root.txt /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir/
rsync: --delete does not work without --recursive (-r) or --dirs (-d).
rsync error: syntax or usage error (code 1) at main.c(1567) [client=3.1.2]
# rsync –nvaAHX --inplace --delete-delay /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir/
rsync: --delete does not work without --recursive (-r) or --dirs (-d).
rsync error: syntax or usage error (code 1) at main.c(1567) [client=3.1.2]
# rsync –nvaAHX --inplace /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir/
rsync: link_stat "/home/user/–nvaAHX" failed: No such file or directory (2)
skipping directory .
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1178) [sender=3.1.2]
# rsync –nvaAHX /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir/
rsync: link_stat "/home/user/–nvaAHX" failed: No such file or directory (2)
skipping directory .
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1178) [sender=3.1.2]
# rsync –nva /home/user/adir/ /home/user/bdir/
rsync: link_stat "/home/user/–nva" failed: No such file or directory (2)
skipping directory .
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1178) [sender=3.1.2]

Are you finding a solution for rsync skipping non-regular file error? we are here to help you.

Here at Bobcares, we receive requests to fix rsync errors and other similar hosting errors as part of our Server Management Services.

Today, we’ll see why this error occurs and also see how to fix it.

Reasons for rsync skipping non-regular file error

Rsync is usually used for sharing files and directories between two different servers.  Rsync command utility is very useful when performing data backup and mirroring.

However, it may not work as we expect and gives an error like rsync skipping non-regular file.  Mostly, this error occurs when files are transferred using rsync.

For instance, the error message appears below.

rsync -rtvp /source/backup /destination
sending incremental file list
backup/myfiles
skipping non-regular file "backup/myfiles/foo"
skipping non-regular file "backup/myfiles/bar"

How to solve rsync skipping non-regular file error

Now let us see the suggestions our Support Engineers provide to our customers to resolve this error message.

Missing symlinks

While copying files between servers, there is a chance to not copy the symlinks. Because symlinks are skipped by default. Symlinks cause a security risk on the server.

To verify any files are symbolic links, use the below commands,

file /path/to/file
/path/to/file: symbolic link to `/path/file`
find /path -type l
/path/to/file

Rsync has useful flags such as -l which copy symlinks as symlinks. So, adding -l to the command solves the error.

rsync -rtvpl /source/backup /destination

Lack of recursive mode option

Similarly, the rsync skipping directory error can occur when miss to put it into a recursive mode like -r or -a.

rsync -rPz /my/local/back/ destination:/my/remote/dir

In addition, use -a instead of -r. -a means to reproduce file hierarchies, including special files and permissions. Also, the option -r only to recurse on directories whereas -a needed for a data backup.

[Need any further assistance in fixing sync errors? – We’re available 24*7]

Conclusion

In short, this rsync error happens due to missing symlinks or lack of a recursive mode option while transferring data between servers.  Today,  we saw how our Support Engineers provide a work-around for this error.