rclone/cmd/gitannex/gitannex.md
Dan McArdle dac7f76b14 cmd/gitannex: Update command docs
Mentioned the possibility of skipping the symlink for new versions of
git-annex. (Probably deserves a test once the new git-annex trickles
down to CI platforms.)

I stopped trying to explain each config parameter here. Rather, the doc
now shows the user how to ask git-annex to describe config parameters
with `--whatelse`.
2024-06-06 17:42:27 +01:00

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Rclone's `gitannex` subcommand enables [git-annex] to store and retrieve content
from an rclone remote. It is meant to be run by git-annex, not directly by
users.
[git-annex]: https://git-annex.branchable.com/
Installation on Linux
---------------------
1. Skip this step if your version of git-annex is [10.20240430] or newer.
Otherwise, you must create a symlink somewhere on your PATH with a particular
name. This symlink helps git-annex tell rclone it wants to run the "gitannex"
subcommand.
```sh
# Create the helper symlink in "$HOME/bin".
ln -s "$(realpath rclone)" "$HOME/bin/git-annex-remote-rclone-builtin"
# Verify the new symlink is on your PATH.
which git-annex-remote-rclone-builtin
```
[10.20240430]: https://git-annex.branchable.com/news/version_10.20240430/
2. Add a new remote to your git-annex repo. This new remote will connect
git-annex with the `rclone gitannex` subcommand.
Start by asking git-annex to describe the remote's available configuration
parameters.
```sh
# If you skipped step 1:
git annex initremote MyRemote type=rclone --whatelse
# If you created a symlink in step 1:
git annex initremote MyRemote type=external externaltype=rclone-builtin --whatelse
```
> **NOTE**: If you're porting an existing [git-annex-remote-rclone] remote to
> use `rclone gitannex`, you can probably reuse the configuration parameters
> verbatim without renaming them. Check parameter synonyms with `--whatelse`
> as shown above.
>
> [git-annex-remote-rclone]: https://github.com/git-annex-remote-rclone/git-annex-remote-rclone
The following example creates a new git-annex remote named "MyRemote" that
will use the rclone remote named "SomeRcloneRemote". That rclone remote must
be one configured in your rclone.conf file, which can be located with `rclone
config file`.
```sh
git annex initremote MyRemote \
type=external \
externaltype=rclone-builtin \
encryption=none \
rcloneremotename=SomeRcloneRemote \
rcloneprefix=git-annex-content \
rclonelayout=nodir
```
3. Before you trust this command with your precious data, be sure to **test the
remote**. This command is very new and has not been tested on many rclone
backends. Caveat emptor!
```sh
git annex testremote MyRemote
```
Happy annexing!