Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
>> Would replacing "same permissions, ownership or modification time" by >> "same filename, path, permissions, ownership, modification time, or >> other metadata" make the crowd more happy? Yes, that is all that is needed, just adding “filename, path” to that list. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
Hi, On 01.08.19 18:03, G.W. Haywood via BackupPC-users wrote: > Hi there, > > On Fri, 26 Jul 2019, Ted Toal wrote: > >> Is it easy to make updates to the documentation? > > I haven't seen a reply to this so I'll take a stab at it, although I > don't really know the proper procedure. Mr. Barratt will know. no offense meant to Ted, but I dare to guess a reason for the silence: folks simply think that the explanation in the documentation is sufficiently precise. And, to be honest, I tend to agree (with a very minor exception, see the last paragraph of this mail). In particular since I cannot remember that particular question popping up in the last couple of years I follow this list. Anyway, not trying to keep you from proposing something to improve. > It's not clear to me where you saw the "BackupPC documentation" which > you mentioned in your OP. I'd think it's the most official source I can imagine: the 4.3.1 docs, directly linked from the home of http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/, at https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/BackupPC.html#Backup-basics The questionable passage is: BackupPC pools identical files. By "identical files" we mean files with identical contents, not necessary the same permissions, ownership or modification time. Two files might have different permissions, ownership, or modification time but will still be pooled whenever the contents are identical. This is possible since BackupPC stores the file metadata (permissions, ownership, and modification time) separately from the file contents. I have no brilliant idea how one could spell out "identical contents" more precise. But as a suggestion: Would replacing "same permissions, ownership or modification time" by "same filename, path, permissions, ownership, modification time, or other metadata" make the crowd more happy? IMHO, the only *serious* non-trivial case regarding the "sameness" of files are alternate data streams on NTFS. A caveat regarding those might be in order, if anyone already wants to touch the docs. (AFAIK, ADSs are not part of the backup.) Cheers, Alex smime.p7s Description: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
Hi there, On Fri, 26 Jul 2019, Ted Toal wrote: Is it easy to make updates to the documentation? I haven't seen a reply to this so I'll take a stab at it, although I don't really know the proper procedure. Mr. Barratt will know. It's not clear to me where you saw the "BackupPC documentation" which you mentioned in your OP. There are lots of copies of documentation for all sorts of packages dotted around the planet. Many of them were taken without the knowledge or consent of the originators. In that case a period of neglect is almost inevitable, and then they're out of date, and they invariably cause needless confusion. So you first need to be sure that what you're proposing to update is the right stuff. Assuming that you have found the right starting documents, I guess you would get an account on Github, clone the repo using the link near the bottom right of that page, edit as you wish, then make a pull request: https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/pulls Mr. Barratt would then review the changes and merge if OK, see for example https://www.mail-archive.com/backuppc-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg00860.html It would be best to get confirmation that I'm on the right track here. -- 73, Ged. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
>> From a practical perspective, files x and y are identical if and only if >> `diff x y` returns 0. It's really just about the content. Thanks, Alex! ...What about filename and file directory, do these have to match for a pair of files to be identical? >> They wouldn't be identical files. They'd be the same file. :) Yes of course. :-) I was thinking though, what if the directory was the same but filename was different (a copy of the file), or the filename was the same but directory different (copy of file in different directory using same name). And I’m glad to hear they are still detected as the same file! That should be added to that documentation sentence. I’d do it myself but don’t know how. Is it easy to make updates to the documentation? ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
Hi there, On Thu, 25 Jul 2019, Ted Toal wrote: ...What about filename and file directory, do these have to match for a pair of files to be identical? They wouldn't be identical files. They'd be the same file. :) -- 73, Ged. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Identical files
On 24.07.19 23:07, Ted Toal wrote: > BackupPC documentation says ‘by "identical files" we mean files with > identical contents, not necessary the same permissions, ownership or > modification time.’ What about filename and file directory, do these have to > match for a pair of files to be identical? No. And the on-disk representation may be different, too - inodes, filesystems, sparsity, (transparent) compression and encryption, name it; the files might even be on different machines, that's quite expected... ;-) From a practical perspective, files x and y are identical if and only if `diff x y` returns 0. It's really just about the content. HTH, Alex smime.p7s Description: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
[BackupPC-users] Identical files
BackupPC documentation says ‘by "identical files" we mean files with identical contents, not necessary the same permissions, ownership or modification time.’ What about filename and file directory, do these have to match for a pair of files to be identical? ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:http://backuppc.wiki.sourceforge.net Project: http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
