rsync : Recursively sync all files while ignoring the directory structure

Question

I am trying to create a bash script for syncing music from my desktop to a mobile device. The desktop is the source.

Is there a way to make rsync recursively sync files

Answer 1

Simply:

rsync -a --delete --include=*.mp3 --exclude=* \
    pathToSongs/Theme*/Artist*/. destuser@desthost:Music/.

would do the job if you're path hierarchy has a fixed number of level.

WARNING: if two song file do have exactly same name, while on same destination directory, your backup will miss one of them!

If else, and for answering strictly to your ask ignoring the directory structure you could use bash's shopt -s globstar feature:

shopt -s globstar
rsync -a --delete --include=*.mp3 --exclude=* \
    pathToSongsRoot/**/. destuser@desthost:Music/.

At all, there is no need to fork to find command.

Recursively sync all files while ignoring the directory structure

For answering strictly to question, there must no be limited to an extension:

shopt -s globstar
rsync -d --delete sourceRoot/**/. destuser@desthost:destRoot/.

With this, directories will be copied too, but without content. All files and directories would be stored on same level at destRoot/.

WARNING: If some different files with same name exists in defferents directories, they would simply be overwrited on destination, durring rsync, for finaly storing randomly only one.