Copying files#

List of files#

Locally#

List the files that you would like to have copied. For example:
```
cd /path/to/your/files
shelephant_dump *.h5
```
This creates a file shelephant_dump.yaml with a list of files:
```
- file1.h5
- file2.h5
- file3.h5
```
Note

The filenames are relative to shelephant_dump.yaml.
Copy all files to some destination:
```
shelephant_cp shelephant_dump.yaml /path/to/destination
```
This copies:
```
file1.h5 -> /path/to/destination/file1.h5
file2.h5 -> /path/to/destination/file2.h5
file3.h5 -> /path/to/destination/file3.h5
```
Note

A copy plan is proposed before copying files. Copying only proceeds if the plan is accepted. This plan is based on precomputed sha256 checksums, rsync criteria, and/or simple file existence. Based on the available information and backend a default combination is used, but this can be customised. Important: files that are listed as equal are not touched in any way.

To SSH host#

List the files that you would like to have copied. For example:
```
cd /path/to/your/files
shelephant_dump *.h5
```
This creates a file shelephant_dump.yaml with a list of files (see above).
Copy to your remote host:
```
shelephant_cp shelephant_dump.yaml /path/on/host --ssh user@host
```
Note

rsync is used to propose a copy plan and to copy files if that plan is accepted. In this case rsync is a mandatory dependency.
Tip

You can store the host information by:
```
shelephant_hostinfo /path/on/host --ssh user@host
```
and then copy files by:
```
shelephant_cp shelephant_dump.yaml shelephant_hostinfo.yaml
```

From SSH host#

List the files that you would like to have copied on the host. For example:
```
ssh user@host
cd /path/on/host
shelephant_dump *.h5
```
This creates a file shelephant_dump.yaml with a list of files (see above).

Copy from the remote host on your local machine:

cd /path/to/copied/files
shelephant_hostinfo /path/on/destination --ssh user@host -d
shelephant_cp shelephant_hostinfo.yaml .

Watch directory#

Suppose that you have a data container in

/path/to/your/files

and you would like to keep a backup of certain files (e.g. *.h5) in

/path/to/backup

Create a file containerinfo.yaml in /path/to/backup with the following content:

root: /path/to/your/files  # may be relative
search:
    - rglob: '*.h5'

Get updates from that source:
```
shelephant_hostinfo -iu containerinfo.yaml
```
Tip

-i computes the sha256 checksums, which may not be needed depending on you use.

Note

Run this command (and the command below) from /path/to/backup.
Update the ‘backup’:
```
shelephant_cp containerinfo.yaml .
```
Note

This will show a copy plan and ask for confirmation.
Tip

To compare files based on their sha256 checksums, for example create in /path/to/backup a file localinfo.yaml with the following content:
```
root: "."
search:
    - rglob: '*.h5'
```
and then run:
```
shelephant_hostinfo -iu localinfo.yaml
```
To copy now use:
```
shelephant_diff containerinfo.yaml localinfo.yaml
```
(You can also use shelephant_cp to copy. In that case the copy-plan can be based purely on sha256.)