Rsync Plugin

Sync your files and folders across devices using rsync tool. Supports automated and scheduled syncing betwen the devices.

Features

• Push/Pull Sync: Sync data from local to remote (push) or from remote to local (pull).
• Dry Run: Run rsync in dry-run mode to preview changes without actually making them.
• Periodic Syncing: Schedule automatic sync intervals.
• Custom Exclusions: Exclude specific files or directories from syncing.
• Logging: Save logs of the sync operation to a file for reference.
• SSH Support: Connect to remote servers using SSH, with support for SSH password or private key authentication.

How to Install

1. Download or clone the plugin into the appropriate plugin folder in your Obsidian vault.
2. Open Obsidian, go to Settings > Community Plugins > Installed Plugins.
3. Enable the Rsync Plugin.

How to Use the Plugin

Manual Sync

1. Click on the sync icon in the ribbon (located in the top-right of the Obsidian interface).
2. A modal will open with sync settings.
3. Choose the sync direction (push or pull).
4. Click Start Sync to initiate the sync process. A progress bar will show the sync progress in real-time.

Schedule Automatic Sync

1. Go to Settings > Rsync Plugin Settings.
2. Set the Schedule Interval in minutes to automatically trigger syncing at a regular interval.
3. Configure the rest of the settings like rsync binary path, SSH credentials, local/remote directories, etc.

Sync Options

• Rsync Binary Path: Provide the path to the rsync executable.
• Remote Server Details: Set your remote server's IP, SSH port, username, and either password or private key path.
• Directories to Sync: Define the local and remote directories to be synced.
• Exclusions: Add file patterns to exclude from syncing (e.g., *.log to exclude all log files).
• Logging: Set the path for a log file to record sync operations.

Sync Direction

• Push: Transfer files from your local machine to the remote server.
• Pull: Download files from the remote server to your local machine.

How to Use Rsync on Windows Using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

On Windows, rsync is not natively available, but you can easily use it through WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Here's how to set it up:

Steps:

1. Install WSL

• If you haven't already, install WSL by following the official Microsoft guide:
  👉 Install WSL
• Once installed, open the WSL terminal (search for WSL or your chosen Linux distro like Ubuntu).

2. Install rsync in WSL

Run the following commands in the WSL terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install rsync

3. Find the Path to rsync in WSL

Run:

which rsync

The typical path is something like:

/usr/bin/rsync

4. Configure the Plugin

In Obsidian, set the Rsync Binary Path in the plugin settings to the WSL rsync path. Example:

C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Packages\CanonicalGroupLimited.UbuntuonWindows_79rhkp1fndgsc\LocalState\rootfs\usr\bin\rsync

Alternatively, use the wsl command to invoke rsync in WSL:

wsl rsync

5. Use the Plugin

Once configured, you can use the Rsync Plugin in Obsidian as you would on a Unix-based system, syncing files to and from remote servers.

Configuration Options

Option	Description
Rsync Binary Path	Path to the rsync executable (use WSL’s path if on Windows).
Remote IP	The IP address of the remote server.
SSH Port	The SSH port for connecting to the remote server.
SSH Username	The SSH username for the remote server.
SSH Password	(Optional) SSH password for authentication.
Private Key Path	(Optional) Path to your SSH private key.
Local Directory Path	Path to the local directory you want to sync.
Remote Directory Path	Path to the remote directory to sync.
Sync Direction	Choose between push (local to remote) or pull (remote to local).
Dry Run	Enable to simulate the sync without actually making changes.
Log File Path	Path to save logs of the sync operation.
Exclude Patterns	Patterns of files or directories to exclude from syncing.
Schedule Interval	Interval (in minutes) for periodic syncs.

Troubleshooting

• Ensure rsync is installed and accessible on your system (via WSL for Windows users).
• Verify your SSH credentials (username, password, or private key) for remote server access.
• Check the paths for both local and remote directories to ensure they're correctly configured.

License

This plugin is open-source and free to use. Contributions are welcome!