rsync Menu - User-Friendly Sync Utility for macOS

A simple shell script that transforms rsync's overwhelming output into a clean, menu-driven interface for backing up specific folders to external drives.

Features

• Clean Progress Display: No more walls of scrolling filenames - see actual transfer progress
• Menu-Driven Interface: Select folders with numbered options instead of typing commands
• Flexible Sync Options: Choose between true mirror sync or copy-only mode
• Safe Interruption: Press Ctrl+C anytime to safely stop operations without corruption
• Custom Folder Support: Add your own directories or sync any folder on-demand
• Batch Operations: Sync all configured folders with one command

Why Use This?

rsync is powerful but intimidating. When syncing large folders, you get flooded with hundreds of filenames, making it hard to track progress or safely interrupt operations. This script provides:

• Visual progress instead of file spam: 1,205,123 45% 123.45kB/s 0:01:23
• Easy folder selection through numbered menus
• Clear sync vs copy-only options
• Safe interrupt handling with user-friendly messages

Installation

Step 1: Download the Script

# Create scripts directory
mkdir -p ~/Scripts

# Download the script
curl -o ~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chanware/rsync-menu/main/sync-menu.sh

# Make it executable
chmod +x ~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh

Step 2: Create an Alias

For zsh (macOS default):

echo "alias syncmenu='~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh'" >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

For bash:

echo "alias syncmenu='~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh'" >> ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.bash_profile

Step 3: Customize the Script

Edit ~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh and modify these settings:

1. Set your external drive name:

   EXTERNAL_DRIVE_NAME="YOUR_DRIVE_NAME"  # e.g., "backup-ssd" or "My Backup Drive"

2. Add your custom folders (options 5 & 6):

   5) do_sync "$HOME/Projects/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Projects/" "Projects" ;;
   6) do_sync "$HOME/Code/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Code/" "Code" ;;

3. Update the "sync all" section to include your custom folders.

Usage

Basic Operation

Run the script:

syncmenu

You'll see a menu like this:

=== File Sync Menu ===
(Press Ctrl+C anytime to safely stop sync operations)
1) Desktop
2) Documents
3) Downloads
4) Pictures
5) Custom Folder 1
6) Custom Folder 2
7) Custom folder (enter path)
8) Sync all configured folders
9) Exit

Sync Types

When you select a folder, choose the sync operation:

• True Sync (Mirror): Creates exact copy - adds, updates, AND deletes files not in source
• Copy/Update Only: Adds and updates files, but never deletes anything

Progress Display

Instead of overwhelming file lists, you see clean progress:

1,205,123  45%  123.45kB/s    0:01:23

Safe Interruption

Press Ctrl+C anytime during sync operations. rsync will:

• Complete writing the current file
• Exit cleanly without corruption
• Display a confirmation message

Configuration Examples

For Photography Workflow

4) do_sync "$HOME/Photos/RAW/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Photos-RAW/" "RAW Photos" ;;
5) do_sync "$HOME/Photos/Processed/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Photos-Processed/" "Processed Photos" ;;

For Development Work

4) do_sync "$HOME/Development/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Development/" "Development Projects" ;;
5) do_sync "$HOME/.config/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Config-Backup/" "Configuration Files" ;;

For Media Collections

4) do_sync "$HOME/Movies/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Movies/" "Movie Collection" ;;
5) do_sync "$HOME/Music/" "$DRIVE_PATH/Music/" "Music Library" ;;

Troubleshooting

Drive Not Found Error

• Ensure external drive is connected and mounted in /Volumes/
• Check that EXTERNAL_DRIVE_NAME matches exactly (case-sensitive)
• Try: ls /Volumes/ to see available drives

Permission Errors

• Ensure script is executable: chmod +x ~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh
• Check source folder permissions
• Run with sudo if syncing system directories (not recommended for personal files)

Alias Not Working

• Reload shell configuration: source ~/.zshrc
• Restart terminal application
• Verify alias exists: alias | grep syncmenu
• Check script path: ls -la ~/Scripts/sync_menu.sh

Sync Operations Fail

• Verify source folders exist
• Ensure external drive has sufficient space
• Check for special characters in folder names

Requirements

• macOS (rsync comes pre-installed)
• External drive for backups
• Terminal access (Terminal.app or iTerm2)

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - feel free to modify and distribute.