GNU shar utilities: 4.3 Automatic mechanisms in the remsync program

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## 4.3 Automatic mechanisms in the `remsync` program

The following points apply to many of the `remsync` commands. We describe them here once and for all.

- The file ``.remsync'` describes the various properties for the current synchronization. It is kept right in the top directory of a synchronized directory tree. Some commands may be executed without any need for this file. The program waits as far as possible before reading it.
- If the ``.remsync'` file is not found when required, and only then, the user is interactively asked to fill a questionnaire about it.
- If the ``.remsync'` file has been logically modified after having been read, or if it just has been created, the program will save it back on disk. But it will do so only before reading another ``.remsync'` file, or just before exit. A preexisting ``.remsync'` will be renamed to ``.remsync.bak'` before it is rewritten, when this is done, any previous ``.remsync.bak'` file is discarded.
- Many commands refer to previously entered information by repeating this information. For example, one can refer to a particular `scan` statement by entering the wildcard to be scanned by this statement. An alternative method of specifying a statement consists in using the decimal number which appears between square brackets in the result of a `list` command.
- Whenever a site list must be given, it is a space separated list of remote sites. If the list is preceeded by a bang (`!`), the list is complemented, that is, the sites that will be operated upon are all those not appearing in the list. As a special case, if the site list is completely empty, then all sites are selected.

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