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https://github.com/romancow/nosync

Prevent files and folders from syncing with iCloud
https://github.com/romancow/nosync

icloud icloud-drive icloud-sync node node-modules symlink sync

Last synced: about 1 month ago
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Prevent files and folders from syncing with iCloud

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README 

        

#	No Sync

- [About](#About)

- [Installation](#Installation)

- [Usage](#Usage)

	- [Programmatic](#Programmatic)

	- [Command Line](#Command-Line)

- [Links](#Links)

- [License](#License)



## About



A tool to prevent files and folders from syncing to iCloud.



It does this by creating a folder named ".nosync" (which iCloud will not sync) to hold the unsynced files

and symlinking to them from the original location.



This can come in handy, for example, if you want to keep node packages on iCloud, but don't want it to sync

all their `node_modules` folders.



If the file or folder already exists, `nosync` will move it to the unsynced location, then create a

symlink pointing to it with the original location and name. If a file or folder does not exist at the

specified location, a symlink is created that points to a new folder at the unsynced location.



## Installation



Add a scope mapping for the GitHub npm package manager by adding a `.npmrc` file with the line:



	@romancow:registry=https://npm.pkg.github.com/



Then install the package:



	npm install @romancow/nosync



or



	yarn add @romancow/nosync



More info on using the GitHub npm package registry [here](https://help.github.com/en/articles/configuring-npm-for-use-with-github-package-registry#installing-a-package).



You might also want to add your nosync folder (".nosync" by default) to your .gitignore since things you don't want to sync are typically also things you don't want in git.



## Usage



### Programmatic



Theres is one function to import:

```javascript

const nosync = require('@romancow/nosync');

```



Or with ES modules:

```javascript

import nosync from '@romancow/nosync';

```



The `nosync` function accepts a single path or an array of paths to not sync:

```javascript

// symlinks "node_modules" to ".nosync/node_modules" in the current working directory

nosync("./node_modules")



// symlinks "build" to ".nosync/build", "dist" to ".nosync/dist", and "types" to ".nosync/types"

nosync(["./build", "./dist", "./types"])

```



It can also accept an object mapping paths to where they should be located within

the `.nosync` folder:

```javascript

nosync({

	// symlinks "es6" to ".nosync/artifacts/build"

	"es6": "artifacts/build",



	// symlinks "cjs" to ".nosync/artifacts/dist"

	"cjs": "artifacts/dist",



	// symlinks "types" to ".nosync/artifacts/types"

	"types": "artifacts/types"

})

```



#### Options



The `nosync` function also accepts a second `options` argument.



There are currently three options:





	
base


	
The folder to copy unsynced files and folders to. Defaults to `./.nosync`. Note that in order for

	iCloud to ignore it, it be named something iCloud ignores (such as containing ".nosync"). You could,

	however, point it to a folder outside of iCloud drive to prevent syncing.


	
check


	
If true, will only copy and symlink files if the path includes the iCloud drive folder. If false,

	it won't check iCloud status. Default is false.


	
overwrite


	
If a file or folder exists at the given path and already exists in the nosync folder, this option

	determines whether or not to overwrite the one in the nosync folder. Default is false.





```javascript

nosync({ "node_modules": "node_modules.nosync" }, { base: "./", check: true, overwrite: true })

```



### Command Line



No Sync can also be used on the command line:



	nosync node_modules



You can pass multiple paths:



	nosync build dist types



Or pass options:



	nosync node_modules --check



Supported options are (check [above](#Options) for what they do):





	
-V, --version


	
output the version number


	
-b, --base &ltpath&gt


	
Base folder to store non-synced files


	
-c, --check


	
Check that files are in iCloud folder


	
-o, --overwrite


	
Overwrite existing files in nosync folder


	
-p, --paths &ltjson file&gt


	
JSON file with paths to not sync


	
-s, --silent


	
Suppresses console information


	
-h, --help


	
output usage information





#### With npm



So if you wanted to hide your "node_modules" folder from iCloud before calling install on a fresh package,

you could do something like this:



	nosync node_modules && npm install



Or if you want check to make sure it's on your iCloud drive before doing it:



	nosync node_modules -c && npm install



Or if initializing a new package:



	nosync node_modules && npm init



#### Using the --paths option



The `-paths` options allows you to specify a JSON file to use to specify the paths that shouldn't be

synced by iCloud:



	nosync --paths nosync.json



This allows you to set a configuration file within an actual project, specifying which files and folders

not to sync, varying it based on the individual needs of that project. The json can be either an array of

paths, or an object mapping paths to where they should be located within the `.nosync` folder.



If paths are specified as both command line arguments and in a json file, then they will all be "nosynced".

If neither is specified, then `nosync` will look for a paths json file named "nosync.json" in the current

working directory.



## Links



If you want to hide your nosync folder in Visual Studio Code's explorer side bar:



> [Hide Unwanted Folders in Visual Studio Code](https://medium.com/@m3lles/how-to-hide-unwanted-folders-and-files-in-visual-studio-code-2bb0f39c4251)



## License



[ISC](https://opensource.org/licenses/ISC)