Just discovered how to utilise RSYNC to eliminate FileZilla

Just discovered how to utilise RSYNC to eliminate FileZilla

For years I have laboriously written code on my Localhost then used FileZilla to update the relevant Server files. 

Although FileZilla is very good it does take quite a few clicks to synchonise all the updated files so... eventually got round to trying RSYNC.  Updating changes now only takes a couple of seconds!!! FileZilla is never used!!!

The web-page update links and function can be used on any CodeIgniter installation.

The following prerequisites does take a bit of trial and error to install but the effort is well rewarded. 

Prerequisites:

1. install RSYNC
2. install Linux SSH
3. Localhost mirror image of the Server files 
4. Upload links on home page banner/footer (only on Localhost web-pages) 

Test for the following GET parameter links:

1. https://my-ci-website.com/web-page?rsync=app 
2. https://my-ci-website.com/web-page?rsync=wri
3. https://my-ci-website.com/web-page?rsync=ass

The main controller tests for above links and if true calls the following function:

PHP Code:

// Controller Web_page

  $rsync = isset($_GET['rsync']) ? $_GET['rsync'] : false;
 
  $data['updatedFiles'] = '';
  if(LOCALHOST && $rsync):
   $updatedFiles = $this->rsync($rsync, $DEBUG=TRUE);
   echo '<pre>' .print_r($updatedFiles, TRUE) .'</pre>';
   $data['updatedFiles'] = $updatedFiles;
 endif; 

 return view('web-page', $data);
}//endfunc

// ===========================================================
private function rsync
(
 string $rsync = '', 
 bool   $DEBUG = FALSE
)
:string 
{
 $result = '';

 $HERE  = '/var/www/my-ci-website.com/';
  $THERE = '[email protected]:';

  switch($rsync):
    case 'wri':
      $HERE .= 'writable/';
    break;  

    case 'ass':
     $HERE .= 'public_html/assets/';
   break;

    // case 'app':
     default:
      $HERE = 'app/'; // application for CI3.??
     break;  
  endswitch;  

   $THERE .= $HERE;
   $USER   = 'ssh-root-user';  
   $PWORD  = 'ssh-password';
   
   // START - PHP HereDoc syntax  
   $tmp = <<< ____EOT
     /usr/bin/rsync -vratlz      \
     --progress \
     --rsh="/usr/bin/sshpass -p  \
     $PWORD ssh -o               \
     StrictHostKeyChecking=no -l \
     $USER" \
     $HERE \
     $THERE
____EOT;
   // FINISH - PHP HereDoc syntax  

  // call RSYNC and get parameters by reference
  exec($tmp, $aRefFilesUploaded, $iRefResult);

  // Maybe DEBUG - return updated files
  if($DEBUG):
    $result = $aRefFilesUploaded;   
  endif; 

  return $result;
}// endfunc 


I’ve used rsync for other stuff. For this I’d probably use git. Have you tried git?

Expert Website Development - Temecula, CA
Community Auth For CodeIgniter 3

I’ve used rsync for other stuff. For this I’d probably use git. Have you tried git?

Yes I have used Git and it is very useful for version control.

The way I use RSYNC is to develop locally and update latest changes to the Server:

For small projects rsync and ftp is not a problem.

---

My way (basic):
- Git for version control
- Creating a build from the master or an other branch
- upload the build to the server
- set symlinks to the new build