#+TITLE: Keeping Files And Configuration In Sync
#+DATE: <2015-04-20 Mon>
#+OPTIONS: toc:nil num:nil

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.

* Git for configuration and projects

  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
  [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][Emacs]] and [[http://www.zsh.org/][Zsh]] configurations in a [[https://github.com/correl/dotfiles][public repo on github]]. 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.

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

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

  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.

* Bittorrent sync for personal settings & books

  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 [[https://www.getsync.com/][Bittorrent Sync]]. The
  dotfiles are arranged into directories by their purpose:

  #+BEGIN_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
  #+END_EXAMPLE

  This folder structure allows my configs to be easily installed using
  [[https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/][GNU Stow]] from my =dotenv= folder:

  : stow -vvS *

  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.

  Bittorrent sync also comes in handy for syncing my growing [[http://calibre-ebook.com/][Calibre]] ebook
  collection, which outgrew my [[https://www.dropbox.com/][Dropbox]] account a while back.