Positional Arguments and Options: Order matters #213

New Issue

Alkac · 2019-09-10T20:41:17Z

Alkac commented

2019-09-10 20:41:17 +00:00

What I'm trying to do and why

Not sure if it is a feature request or bug relating to the order of how positional parameters are used.

Imagine file with patterns:

$ cat /patterns
P sh
R /home/john
- /home/john/.cache

Then, there is a difference between the following commands.

This is the syntax used by borg docs:

$ borg create --patterns-from /patterns repo::archive /home/john

In this case, borg backs up /home/john directory (and its contents) only once, even that technically the recursive root is stated twice (in patterns and as a positional parameter.)

However, in this syntax used by borgmatic:

$ borg create repo::archive /home/john --patterns-from /patterns

in this case, borg backs up the directory twice (each file is added twice and deduplicated, obviously).

borg docs

Borg documentation suggest to use options before REPO::ARCHIVE

Borg only supports taking options (-s and --progress in the example) to the left or right of all positional arguments (repo::archive and path in the example), but not in between them:

borg create -s --progress repo::archive path  # good and preferred
borg create repo::archive path -s --progress  # also works
borg create -s repo::archive path --progress  # works, but ugly
borg create repo::archive -s --progress path  # BAD

Additional info

While borg create may be run without [PATH] parameter (as long as -R /path is used in patterns file), it is not possible to delete source_directories in borgmatic's config.yaml (required parameter).

What I would expect

There may be various solutions to this issue (like stating that in config.yaml notes for patterns_from directive), however, it may generally be better if borgmatic places options before REPO::ARCHIVE positional parameters to be consistent with borg recommendation and examples in documentation for each command.

Environment

borgmatic version: 1.3.13-1

borgmatic installation method: AUR Arch package

Borg version: 1.1.10-1

Python version: 3.7.4

operating system and version: Arch Linux x86_64, up-to-date

#### What I'm trying to do and why Not sure if it is a feature request or bug relating to the order of how positional parameters are used. Imagine file with patterns: ``` $ cat /patterns P sh R /home/john - /home/john/.cache ``` Then, there is a difference between the following commands. 1. This is the syntax used by borg docs: ``` $ borg create --patterns-from /patterns repo::archive /home/john ``` In this case, borg backs up /home/john directory (and its contents) only _once_, even that technically the recursive root is stated twice (in patterns and as a positional parameter.) 2. However, in this syntax used by borgmatic: ``` $ borg create repo::archive /home/john --patterns-from /patterns ``` in this case, borg backs up the directory _twice_ (each file is added twice and deduplicated, obviously). ### borg docs Borg documentation suggest to use options before REPO::ARCHIVE _Borg only supports taking options (-s and --progress in the example) to the left or right of all positional arguments (repo::archive and path in the example), but not in between them:_ ``` borg create -s --progress repo::archive path # good and preferred borg create repo::archive path -s --progress # also works borg create -s repo::archive path --progress # works, but ugly borg create repo::archive -s --progress path # BAD ``` ### Additional info While `borg create` may be run without [PATH] parameter (as long as `-R /path` is used in `patterns` file), it is not possible to delete `source_directories` in borgmatic's config.yaml (required parameter). ### What I would expect There may be various solutions to this issue (like stating that in config.yaml notes for `patterns_from` directive), however, it may generally be better if borgmatic places options before REPO::ARCHIVE positional parameters to be consistent with borg recommendation and examples in documentation for each command. #### Environment **borgmatic version:** 1.3.13-1 **borgmatic installation method:** AUR Arch package **Borg version:** 1.1.10-1 **Python version:** 3.7.4 **operating system and version:** Arch Linux x86_64, up-to-date

witten commented

2019-09-10 22:40:48 +00:00

it may generally be better if borgmatic places options before REPO::ARCHIVE positional parameters to be consistent with borg recommendation and examples in documentation for each command.

That certainly makes sense to me. Seems like it'd be a pretty easy change to make across the board for all commands.

Thank you for pointing this issue out!

While borg create may be run without [PATH] parameter (as long as -R /path is used in patterns file), it is not possible to delete source_directories in borgmatic’s config.yaml (required parameter).

Does this seem like a desirable thing? Worth filing separately? Or not needed assuming this ticket is fixed?

> it may generally be better if borgmatic places options before REPO::ARCHIVE positional parameters to be consistent with borg recommendation and examples in documentation for each command. That certainly makes sense to me. Seems like it'd be a pretty easy change to make across the board for all commands. Thank you for pointing this issue out! > While borg create may be run without [PATH] parameter (as long as -R /path is used in patterns file), it is not possible to delete source_directories in borgmatic’s config.yaml (required parameter). Does this seem like a desirable thing? Worth filing separately? Or not needed assuming this ticket is fixed?

witten added the

bug

label 2019-09-10 22:40:55 +00:00

Alkac commented

2019-09-11 05:09:04 +00:00

I think the latter is a minor issue not worth considering for a separate ticket as long as the former one is fixed. Thanks!

witten referenced this issue from a commit

2019-09-12 22:28:27 +00:00

Reorder arguments passed to Borg to fix duplicate directories when using Borg patterns (#213).

witten commented

2019-09-12 22:29:08 +00:00

Just fixed in master. And it'll be released as part of the next borgmatic release (hopefully soon). Thanks again!