DO NOT REPLY [Bug 7668] New: Add --omit-symlink-times option, same purpose as --omit-dir-times

[samba-bugs at samba.org]

https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7668

           Summary: Add --omit-symlink-times option, same purpose as --omit-
                    dir-times
           Product: rsync
           Version: 3.0.7
          Platform: All
        OS/Version: FreeBSD
            Status: NEW
          Severity: enhancement
          Priority: P3
         Component: core
        AssignedTo: wayned at samba.org
        ReportedBy: korvus at comcast.net
         QAContact: rsync-qa at samba.org


When using rsnyc, files are always recreated (as the user performing the rsync)
on the destination when the source file has a later mtime, regardless of
changes.  Symlinks however, are NOT recreated when the mtime differs; instead,
the mtime is simply adjusted on the destination.  This is problematic because a
user who does not own a symlink can not adjust the mtime of that symlink to a
time that isn't time(NULL) (now) - see utimes(2).  Thus rsync fails with
"failed to set times on...".  The rest of the rsync completes, but scripts
utilizing rsync may rely on the return codes.

This is likely the same reason that the --omit-dir-times option exists: it is
not trivial (or necessary) to recreate a directory to update the mtime.  I have
a patch which adds the --omit-symlink-times option to rsync, I will submit it
if anyone is interested in committing it.


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