fix up csc-sync-debian

merlin/Handoff.md

@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 ## Status of moving from merlin to merlin-go
-- [ ] debian
+- [ ] debian <
-- [ ] ubuntu
+- [ ] ubuntu <
-- [ ] ubuntu-ports
+- [ ] ubuntu-ports <
-- [ ] linuxmint-packages
+- [ ] linuxmint-packages <
-- [ ] debian-multimedia
+- [ ] debian-multimedia <
-- [ ] debian-backports
+- [ ] debian-backports <
-- [ ] debian-security
+- [ ] debian-security <
 - [x] ubuntu-releases
 - [x] xubuntu-releases
 - [ ] puppylinux (broken)
 - [ ] CPAN (unstable)
-- [ ] CRAN
+<!-- - [ ] CRAN -->
 - [x] CTAN
-- [ ] fedora-epel <
+- [ ] fedora-epel (some attrs not transfered)
 - [x] cygwin
 - [x] gnu
 - [x] nongnu
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@
 - [ ] eclipse (unstable)
 - [x] kde
 - [x] kde-applicationdata
-- [ ] archlinux
+<!-- - [ ] archlinux -->
 - [x] artixlinx
 - [x] slackware
-- [ ] debian-cd
+<!-- - [ ] debian-cd -->
 - [x] x.org
 - [x] centos
-- [ ] opensuse <
+- [x] opensuse
 - [x] FreeBSD
-- [ ] fedora-enchilada <
+- [ ] fedora-enchilada (broken: some attrs not transfered)
 - [x] ubuntu-ports-releases
-- [ ] gentoo-distfiles
+<!-- - [ ] gentoo-distfiles -->
 - [x] gentoo-portage
-- [ ] gutenberg (broken)
+- [ ] gutenberg (unstable)
-- [ ] racket-installers
+<!-- - [ ] racket-installers -->
 - [ ] plt-bundles (broken)
 - [x] xiph
 - [ ] netbsd (broken)
@@ -48,11 +48,10 @@
 - [x] sagemath
 - [x] vlc
 - [x] tdf
-- [ ] saltstack
+<!-- - [ ] saltstack -->
-- [x] alpine
+- [ ] alpine (unstable)
-- [ ] raspbian (high disk usage + long runtime + failing)
+- [ ] raspbian (broekn: high disk usage + long runtime + failing)
-- [ ] raspberrypi
+- [ ] ipfire (unstable)
-- [ ] ipfire (broken)
 - [x] manjaro
 - [x] mxlinux
 - [x] mxlinux-iso
@@ -60,4 +59,19 @@
 - [x] trisquel-packages
 - [x] trisquel-iso
 - [x] almalinux
-- [ ] ceph
+<!-- - [ ] ceph -->
+
+### Other Repos
+- debian-cdimage
+- debian-volatile
+- emdebian
+- openoffice
+- mozdev
+- mozilla.org
+- raspberrypi
+- cs136
+- kali
+- kali-images
+- hyperbola-sources
+- hyperbola-stable
+- hyperbola-testing

merlin/README.md

@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@ Then configure `merlin-config.ini` and run using `./merlin`
 
 ### Nice Features To Add
 - detect if an rsync process is stuck (watch the stdout/stderr of the rsync processes)
-- get the config or the rsync commond that a repo will sync with using a cli tool
+- get the config or the rsync command that a repo will sync with using a cli tool
 - improve conversion from exit status enum to string
 - sort `arthur status` by last time synced
 - last sync runtime, time until next sync
 - when sync fails, then make a copy of the rsync logs
+- implementation of `trace` is ad hoc and can be improved
 
 ### Completed
 - [x] add bwlimit option for each rsync process

merlin/config/config.go

@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ const (
 	FIVE_MINUTELY = 300
 	MINUTELY      = 60
 
+	DEAFULT_HOSTNAME         = "mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca"
 	DEFAULT_MAX_JOBS         = 6
 	DEFAULT_MAX_TIME         = DAILY / 4
 	DEFAULT_MAX_RSYNC_IO     = 0
 	DEFAULT_SYNC_TYPE        = "csc-sync-standard"
 	DEFAULT_FREQUENCY_STRING = "bi-hourly"
 	DEFAULT_DOWNLOAD_DIR     = "/mirror/root"
-	DEFAULT_TRACE_DIR        = "/home/mirror/merlin/trace"
 	DEFAULT_STATE_DIR        = "/home/mirror/merlin/state"
 	DEFAULT_LOG_DIR          = "/home/mirror/merlin/log"
 	DEFAULT_RSYNC_LOG_DIR    = "/home/mirror/merlin/log-rsync"
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ type SyncResult struct {
 }
 
 type Config struct {
+	Hostname string `ini:"hostname"`
 	// the IPv4 addresses to use for rsync
 	IPv4Address string `ini:"ipv4_address"`
 	// the IPv6 addresses to use for rsync
@@ -79,8 +80,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	DefaultFrequencyStr string `ini:"default_frequency"`
 	// the base directory where rsync should download files to
 	DownloadDir string `ini:"download_dir"`
-	// directory where the trace of each repo is saved
-	TraceDir string `ini:"trace_dir"`
 	// directory where the state of each repo is saved
 	StateDir string `ini:"state_dir"`
 	// directory where merlin will store the merlin logs for each repo
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ type Repo struct {
 	// where to download the files for this repo (relative to Conf.DownloadDir)
 	LocalDir string `ini:"local_dir"`
 	// the address to the trace file (how this url will be used depends on SyncType)
-	TraceUrl string `ini:"trace_url"`
+	TraceHost string `ini:"trace_host"`
 	// the address to the remote host to rsync from
 	RsyncHost string `ini:"rsync_host"`
 	// the remote directory on the rsync host (optional)
@@ -170,13 +169,13 @@ var (
 func LoadConfig(configPath string, doneChan chan SyncResult, stopChan chan struct{}) {
 	// create a new config with the default values then load config from file
 	newConf := Config{
+		Hostname:            DEAFULT_HOSTNAME,
 		MaxJobs:             DEFAULT_MAX_JOBS,
 		DefaultMaxTime:      DEFAULT_MAX_TIME,
 		DefaultMaxRsyncIO:   DEFAULT_MAX_RSYNC_IO,
 		DefaultSyncType:     DEFAULT_SYNC_TYPE,
 		DefaultFrequencyStr: DEFAULT_FREQUENCY_STRING,
 		DownloadDir:         DEFAULT_DOWNLOAD_DIR,
-		TraceDir:            DEFAULT_TRACE_DIR,
 		StateDir:            DEFAULT_STATE_DIR,
 		RepoLogDir:          DEFAULT_LOG_DIR,
 		RsyncLogDir:         DEFAULT_RSYNC_LOG_DIR,
@@ -201,7 +200,6 @@ func LoadConfig(configPath string, doneChan chan SyncResult, stopChan chan struc
 
 	// create directories
 	for _, dir := range []string{
-		newConf.TraceDir,
 		newConf.StateDir,
 		newConf.RepoLogDir,
 		newConf.RsyncLogDir,

merlin/merlin-config-all.ini

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ frequency = bi-hourly
 local_dir = ubuntu
 rsync_host = archive.ubuntu.com
 rsync_dir = ubuntu
-; trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
+trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
 
 [ubuntu-ports]
 sync_type = csc-sync-debian
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ frequency = bi-hourly
 local_dir = ubuntu-ports
 rsync_host = ports.ubuntu.com
 rsync_dir = ubuntu-ports
-; trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
+trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
 
 [linuxmint-packages]
 sync_type = csc-sync-debian

merlin/merlin-config-test.ini

@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ sock_path = /mirror/merlin/run/merlin-go.sock
 
 [ubuntu]
 dry_run = true
-sync_type = csc-sync-standard
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
 frequency = five-minutely
 local_dir = ubuntu
 rsync_host = rsync.releases.ubuntu.com
 rsync_dir = releases
-rsync_exclude = distribution/.timestamp_invisiable, .ignore_me
+; rsync_exclude = distribution/.timestamp_invisiable, .ignore_me
 
 ; add to the repo struct
 ; RsyncExclude []string `ini:"rsync_exclude"`

merlin/merlin-config.ini

@@ -13,6 +13,72 @@ zfssync_log_dir = /home/mirror-go/merlin/log-zfssync
 
 sock_path = /mirror/merlin/run/merlin-go.sock
 
+[debian]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = debian
+rsync_host = debian.mirror.rafal.ca
+rsync_dir = debian
+
+[ubuntu]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = ubuntu
+rsync_host = archive.ubuntu.com
+rsync_dir = ubuntu
+trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
+
+[ubuntu-ports]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = ubuntu-ports
+rsync_host = ports.ubuntu.com
+rsync_dir = ubuntu-ports
+trace_host = drescher.canonical.com
+
+[linuxmint-packages]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = linuxmint-packages
+rsync_host = rsync-packages.linuxmint.com
+rsync_dir = packages
+
+[debian-multimedia]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = debian-multimedia
+rsync_host = www.deb-multimedia.org
+rsync_dir = deb
+
+[debian-backports]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = bi-hourly
+local_dir = debian-backports
+rsync_host = debian.mirror.rafal.ca
+rsync_dir = debian-backports
+
+[debian-security]
+dry_run = true
+verbose = true
+sync_type = csc-sync-debian
+frequency = twice-hourly
+local_dir = debian-security
+rsync_host = rsync.security.debian.org
+rsync_dir = debian-security
+trace_host = security-master.debian.org
+
 [ubuntu-releases]
 sync_type = csc-sync-standard
 frequency = bi-hourly
@@ -183,7 +249,6 @@ rsync_host = us-msync.centos.org
 rsync_dir = CentOS
 
 [opensuse]
-verbose = true
 ; unsure what this setting is supposed to do
 ; #"--exclude distribution/.timestamp_invisible"
 sync_type = csc-sync-standard
@@ -295,6 +360,7 @@ rsync_host = rsync.documentfoundation.org
 rsync_dir = tdf-pub
 
 [alpine]
+verbose = true
 sync_type = csc-sync-standard
 frequency = hourly
 local_dir = alpine

merlin/sync/interface.go

@@ -50,5 +50,6 @@ func SyncCompleted(repo *config.Repo, exit int) {
 
 	if exit == config.SUCCESS {
 		go zfsSync(repo)
+		go postSyncTraceUpdate(repo)
 	}
 }

merlin/sync/process.go

@@ -87,12 +87,12 @@ func startRepoSync(repo *config.Repo) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	if repo.TraceUrl != "" {
+	if repo.TraceHost != "" {
 		repo.Logger.Debug("Checking for changes")
 
 		continueSync := true
 		status, continueSync = checkIfSyncNeeded(repo)
-		if !continueSync {
+		if !continueSync || status == config.TERMINATED {
 			return
 		}
 

merlin/sync/sync.go

@@ -39,12 +39,17 @@ func buildDownloadDir(repo *config.Repo) string {
 const (
 	noOwnerNoGroup = 1 << iota
 	timeout3600
+	excludeTmp
 	logFile
 	quiet
 	ipv4
 	ipv6
 	delete
 	delayUpdatesDeleteAfter
+	// adds base arguments for setting timeout, a logfile, and including quiet
+	baseFlags = timeout3600 | logFile | quiet
+	// adds standard arguments timeout, logging, quiet, no owner/group, and excluding .~tmp~/
+	stdFlags = baseFlags | noOwnerNoGroup | excludeTmp
 )
 
 func addConditionalFlags(repo *config.Repo, flags int) []string {
@@ -55,10 +60,13 @@ func addConditionalFlags(repo *config.Repo, flags int) []string {
 	if flags&timeout3600 != 0 {
 		args = append(args, "--timeout=3600")
 	}
+	if flags&excludeTmp != 0 {
+		args = append(args, "--exclude", ".~tmp~/")
+	}
 	if flags&logFile != 0 {
 		args = append(args, "--log-file="+repo.RsyncLogFile)
 	}
-	if flags&quiet != 0 {
+	if flags&quiet != 0 && !repo.Verbose {
 		args = append(args, "--quiet")
 	}
 
@@ -92,9 +100,8 @@ func cscSyncApache(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 		"--delete",
 		"--safe-links",
 		"--stats",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|ipv4)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
@@ -122,10 +129,9 @@ func cscSyncBadPerms(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-aH",
 		"--chmod=o=rX",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 		"--stats",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delete)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|ipv4|delete)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@ func cscSyncCDImage(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 		"--exclude", "\".*/\"",
 		"--stats",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delete)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|noOwnerNoGroup|ipv4|delete)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
@@ -176,49 +182,37 @@ func cscSyncChmod(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-aH",
 		"--safe-links",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 		"--stats",
 		"--chmod=u=rwX,go=rX",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
 }
 
 func cscSyncDebian(repo *config.Repo) []string {
-	// some repos specify a trace file but does not exit script even if trace files are the same
-	// https://git.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/public/mirror/src/branch/go/bin/csc-sync-debian#L205-L218
-
-	// ubuntu repos are trying to get trace/drescher.canonical.com but this file does not exist
-	// http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/project/trace/
-	// if are adding a trace check ensure it can handle when the file does not exist on the remote
-
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|excludeTmp|ipv4)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo)+"/pool/", buildDownloadDir(repo)+"/pool/")
 
 	args = append(args, []string{
 		"&&", "nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
+		"--exclude", filepath.Join("project/trace", config.Conf.Hostname),
 	}...)
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|excludeTmp|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
-	// TODO: run 'LANG=C date -u > "${TO}/${TRACE_DIR}/${HOSTNAME}"' after the sync is done
-
 	return args
 }
 
 func cscSyncDebianCD(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
-		"nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp4",
+		"nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delete)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|excludeTmp|ipv4|delete)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
@@ -252,10 +246,9 @@ func cscSyncS3(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 func cscSyncSSH(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-aH",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 		"--stats", "-4",
 	}
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|delete)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|delete)...)
 	// PasswordFile should point to the SSH_KEYFILE
 	args = append(args, "-e", fmt.Sprintf("'ssh -b %s -i %s'", config.Conf.IPv4Address, repo.PasswordFile))
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncSSHHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
@@ -267,7 +260,6 @@ func cscSyncStandard(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-aH",
 		"--safe-links",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 		"--stats",
 	}
 
@@ -275,7 +267,7 @@ func cscSyncStandard(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 		args = append(args, "--password-file", repo.PasswordFile)
 	}
 
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args
@@ -285,7 +277,6 @@ func cscSyncStandardIPV6(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-aH",
 		"--safe-links",
-		"--exclude", ".~tmp~/",
 		"--stats",
 	}
 
@@ -293,7 +284,7 @@ func cscSyncStandardIPV6(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 		args = append(args, "--password-file", repo.PasswordFile)
 	}
 
-	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, noOwnerNoGroup|timeout3600|logFile|quiet|ipv6|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
+	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, stdFlags|ipv6|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))
 
 	return args

merlin/sync/trace.go

@@ -2,24 +2,26 @@ package sync
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"git.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/public/merlin/config"
 )
 
-func cscTraceArchLinux(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) []string {
+func cscTraceArchLinux(repo *config.Repo, newTime string) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"curl",
-		"-s", repo.TraceUrl,
+		"--interface", config.Conf.IPv4Address,
-		"-o", destPath,
+		"-s", repo.TraceHost,
+		"-o", newTime,
 	}
 
 	return args
 }
 
 // return false iff both files exist, are non-empty, and have the same contents
-func cscTraceArchLinuxDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
+func cscTraceArchLinuxDiff(repo *config.Repo, newTime string) bool {
 	readFile := func(file string) string {
 		f, err := os.ReadFile(file)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -29,8 +31,8 @@ func cscTraceArchLinuxDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
 		return strings.TrimSpace(string(f))
 	}
 
-	file1 := readFile(destPath)
+	file1 := readFile(newTime)
-	file2 := readFile(path.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "lastupdate"))
+	file2 := readFile(filepath.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "lastupdate"))
 
 	if file1 == "" || file2 == "" {
 		return true
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ func cscTraceArchLinuxDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
 	return file1 != file2
 }
 
+// update the lastsync file
 func cscTraceArchLinuxUpdate(repo *config.Repo) (args []string) {
 	rsyncDir := repo.RsyncDir
 	localDir := repo.LocalDir
@@ -53,21 +56,20 @@ func cscTraceArchLinuxUpdate(repo *config.Repo) (args []string) {
 	return args
 }
 
-func cscTraceDebian(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) []string {
+func cscTraceDebian(repo *config.Repo, newTime string) []string {
 	args := []string{
 		"nice", "rsync", "-tv", "-4",
 		"--address=" + config.Conf.IPv4Address,
 		"--quiet",
-		// "--log-file=" + repo.RepoLogFile,
+		repo.RsyncHost + "::" + filepath.Join(repo.RsyncDir, "project/trace", repo.TraceHost),
-		repo.RsyncHost + "::" + path.Join(repo.RsyncDir, "project/trace", repo.TraceUrl),
+		newTime,
-		destPath,
 	}
 
 	return args
 }
 
 // return false iff both files exist and were modified at the same time
-func cscTraceDebianDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
+func cscTraceDebianDiff(repo *config.Repo, newTime string) bool {
 	statFile := func(file string) int64 {
 		f, err := os.Stat(file)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -78,8 +80,8 @@ func cscTraceDebianDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
 		return f.ModTime().Unix()
 	}
 
-	file1 := statFile(destPath)
+	file1 := statFile(newTime)
-	file2 := statFile(path.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "project/trace", "lastupdate"))
+	file2 := statFile(filepath.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "project/trace", repo.TraceHost))
 
 	if file1 == 0 || file2 == 0 {
 		return true
@@ -88,15 +90,44 @@ func cscTraceDebianDiff(repo *config.Repo, destPath string) bool {
 	return file1 != file2
 }
 
+// update our trace file's modification date by writing the current time
+func cscTraceDebianUpdate(repo *config.Repo) {
+	target := filepath.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "project/trace", config.Conf.Hostname)
+
+	os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(buildDownloadDir(repo), "project/trace"), 0755)
+
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(target, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		repo.Logger.Error("Unable to open trace file: " + target)
+		return
+	}
+	if _, err = f.WriteString(time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC1123)); err != nil {
+		repo.Logger.Error("Unable to write to trace file: " + target)
+		return
+	}
+}
+
 // some repos want us to check a last modification time file before performing a full sync
 // returns a status to update the original sync's status along with if the sync should continue
 func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 	// default return values are the default status and to continue the sync
 	status = config.FAILURE
 	continueSync = true
+	if repo.DryRun {
+		return
+	}
+	runCommand := func(args []string) int {
+		ch := spawnProcess(repo, args)
+		if ch == nil {
+			// spawnSyncProcess will have already logged error
+			return 1
+		}
+		cmd := <-ch
+		return cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode()
+	}
 
 	// create a temp file
-	temp, err := os.CreateTemp("/tmp", ".tmp.merlin."+repo.Name+"-")
+	temp, err := os.CreateTemp("/tmp", "merlin-"+repo.Name+"-trace-*")
 	if err != nil {
 		repo.Logger.Error(err.Error())
 		return
@@ -104,7 +135,7 @@ func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 	temp.Close()
 	defer os.Remove(temp.Name())
 
-	// get the trace command
+	// get the trace command to copy a last updated file
 	var args []string
 	switch repo.SyncType {
 	case "csc-sync-archlinux":
@@ -116,16 +147,10 @@ func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	ch := spawnProcess(repo, args)
+	exit := runCommand(args)
-	if ch == nil {
+	if exit != 0 {
-		// spawnSyncProcess will have already logged error
-		return
-	}
-
-	cmd := <-ch
-	if cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 0 {
 		// if the process was terminated then don't continue to sync
-		if cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode() == -1 {
+		if exit == -1 {
 			return config.TERMINATED, false
 		}
 		return
@@ -138,13 +163,19 @@ func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 	case "csc-sync-debian":
 		filesDiffer = cscTraceDebianDiff(repo, temp.Name())
 	}
+	// debian still syncs even if the trace file is the same
+	if !filesDiffer && repo.SyncType == "csc-sync-debian" {
+		repo.Logger.Error("trace file for " + repo.RsyncHost + " unchanged")
+		return
+	}
+	if filesDiffer {
+		// continue sync if files differ
+		return
+	}
 
-	// if the files are the same then don't continue to sync
+	repo.Logger.Debug("No changes found; full sync will not be made")
-	if !filesDiffer {
-		repo.Logger.Debug("No changes found; no sync made")
 
-		// archlinux wants to sync a "lastsync" file even if lastupdate prevents sync
+	// archlinux wants to sync a "lastsync" file if lastupdate prevents sync
-		var args []string
 	switch repo.SyncType {
 	case "csc-sync-archlinux":
 		args = cscTraceArchLinuxUpdate(repo)
@@ -152,16 +183,10 @@ func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 		return config.SUCCESS, false
 	}
 
-		ch := spawnProcess(repo, args)
+	exit = runCommand(args)
-		if ch == nil {
+	if exit != 0 {
-			// spawnSyncProcess will have already logged error
-			return
-		}
-
-		cmd := <-ch
-		if cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 0 {
 		// if the process was terminated then don't continue to sync
-			if cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode() == -1 {
+		if exit == -1 {
 			return config.TERMINATED, false
 		}
 		return
@@ -170,5 +195,9 @@ func checkIfSyncNeeded(repo *config.Repo) (status int, continueSync bool) {
 	return config.SUCCESS, false
 }
 
-	return
+// csc-sync-debian wants to update a trace file after the repo is done syncing
+func postSyncTraceUpdate(repo *config.Repo) {
+	if repo.SyncType == "csc-sync-debian" {
+		cscTraceDebianUpdate(repo)
+	}
 }