---
title: Keeping Files And Configuration In Sync
author: Correl Roush
---
<p>
I have a few computers I use on a daily basis, and I like to keep the
same emacs and shell configuration on all of them, along with my org
files and a handful of scripts. Since I'm sure other people have this
problem as well, I'll share what I'm doing so anyone can learn from
(or criticise) my solutions.
</p>

<div id="outline-container-sec-1" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="sec-1">Git for configuration and projects</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-1">
<p>
I'm a software developer, so keeping things in git just makes sense
to me. I keep my org files in a privately hosted git repository, and
<a href="https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/">Emacs</a> and <a href="http://www.zsh.org/">Zsh</a> configurations in a <a href="https://github.com/correl/dotfiles">public repo on github</a>. My blog is
also hosted and published on github as well; I like having it cloned
to all my machines so I can work on drafts wherever I may be.
</p>

<p>
My <a href="https://github.com/correl/dotfiles/blob/master/.zshrc">.zshrc</a> installs <a href="https://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh">oh-my-zsh</a> if it isn't installed already, and sets
up my shell theme, path, and some other environmental things.
</p>

<p>
My <a href="https://github.com/correl/dotfiles/blob/master/.emacs.d/emacs.org">Emacs configuration</a> behaves similarly, making use of John
Wiegley's excellent <a href="https://github.com/jwiegley/use-package">use-package</a> tool to ensure all my packages are
installed if they're not already there and configured the way I like
them.
</p>

<p>
All I have to do to get running on a new system is to install git,
emacs and zsh, clone my repo, symlink the files, and grab a cup of
tea while everything installs.
</p>
</div>
</div>

<div id="outline-container-sec-2" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="sec-2">Bittorrent sync for personal settings &amp; books</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-2">
<p>
For personal configuration that doesn't belong in and/or is too
sensitive to be in a public repo, I have a folder of dotfiles and
things that I sync between my machines using <a href="https://www.getsync.com/">Bittorrent Sync</a>. The
dotfiles are arranged into directories by their purpose:
</p>

<pre class="example">
[correlr@reason:~/dotenv]
% tree -a -L 2
.
├── authinfo
│   └── .authinfo.gpg
├── bin
│   └── .bin
├── emacs
│   ├── .bbdb
│   └── .emacs.local.d
├── mail
│   ├── .gnus.el
│   ├── .signature
├── README.org
├── .sync
│   ├── Archive
│   ├── ID
│   ├── IgnoreList
│   └── StreamsList
├── tex
│   └── texmf
├── xmonad
│   └── .xmonad
└── zsh
    └── .zshenv
</pre>

<p>
This folder structure allows my configs to be easily installed using
<a href="https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/">GNU Stow</a> from my <code>dotenv</code> folder:
</p>

<pre class="example">
stow -vvS *
</pre>

<p>
Running that command will, for each file in each of the directories,
create a symlink to it in my home folder if there isn't a file or
directory with that name there already.
</p>

<p>
Bittorrent sync also comes in handy for syncing my growing <a href="http://calibre-ebook.com/">Calibre</a> ebook
collection, which outgrew my <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/">Dropbox</a> account a while back.
</p>
</div>
</div>