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I have a list of files: /location/file.txt

Content of file:

/location1/file2.abc
/location2/location3/file1.abc
/location4/location5/fileX.cde

I'd like to copy files to another sever like this:

cat /location/file.txt | xargs -i scp {} user@server:/location

but in the above example all of files from the list are copying to specific location, while I'd like to copy them to the same locations (accurate path as in the txt file /location1/, /location2/location3/ etc.

How can I do it? I can also use rsync, but I'd like to enter password (to remote server) only once.

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  • FYI: to avoid multiple-password-entry, if you are using SSH keys, you can use ssh-agent and ssh-add to enter the key's password only once.
    – Otheus
    Commented May 12, 2015 at 16:28

1 Answer 1

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rsync -av --files-from=/location/file.txt / user@server:/location/

That will copy the local file /location1/file2.abc to /location//location1/file2.abc etc.

As rsync will invoke ssh only once, you only have to enter the password once. You may want to investigate using ssh keys though.

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  • Ok, but if I want to copy all of files from the list to exactly same location on remote server I should use following command? rsync -av --files-from=/location/file.txt / user@server:/
    – Qmski
    Commented May 12, 2015 at 13:50
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    @Qmski almost. You will need to add the -R flag, too: rsync -avR ...
    – Chris Davies
    Commented May 12, 2015 at 13:58
  • In case your list of files includes a directory tree which you want to copy, and in addition to the -av and -R ("relative"), you will also need the seemingly-redundant-but-not r flag. From the man page regarding -a : "The only exception to the above equivalence is when --files-from is specified, in which case -r is not implied."
    – Otheus
    Commented May 12, 2015 at 16:29
  • @roaima note that --files-from implies -R so you don't have to add that!
    – wurtel
    Commented May 13, 2015 at 11:41
  • @Otheus you usually will want to preserve permissions, owner, group, time etc. so I usually just use -a; but at least -ptgo should be used.
    – wurtel
    Commented May 13, 2015 at 11:45

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