rsync --suffix query

[maclenin]

I run the following in the terminal:

/testA$ rsync -avr --suffix=_`date +"%m%d%Y_%H%M"` fileA.txt /testB/

In directory testB, I expect to find (a time-stamped):

fileA.txt_12212012_1015

Instead, in directory testB, I find (a non-time-stamped):

fileA.txt

Any thoughts?

[maclenin]

I stumbled upon my own oversight. All is fine with the rsync statement, as written. In my testy haste, I had forgotten to modify the contents of fileA.txt between runs....

HNY!

[vanadium]

You do not need the -r option as it is already part of the -a option. Yet, it does not hurt adding it, of course.

[sudodus]

I need the --backup option too:

rsync -av --backup --suffix=_`date +"%m%d%Y_%H%M"` "/home/$USER/test/ttt/" "/home/$USER/test/tbup/"

[maclenin]

vanadium!

Indeed, I had missed the "r" buried in the "a"....

sudodus!

After I discovered my "oversight", I was able to run my original statement without the -b (--backup) option and the added --suffix option still applied the date / time stamp, as defined.

Perhaps, the --suffix and --backup-dir options, when used in combination with the -b option redfine the -b defaults. However, --suffix, as seems to be the case in my original statement, can be used without -b to rename a changed destination file. Whereas, --backup-dir cannot be used independently of -b.

Thanks, again, for the guidance.