Provide access to ~/Messages folder to rsync?

I'm running Catalina, and I have a launchd job that runs an rsync script that backs up my Messages to a server over ssh. It effectively runs this command:

/usr/bin/rsync -av --stats /Users/jay/Library/Messages/ Home.local:/Groups/Archive/Messages/Messages/ --exclude chat.db*

Now, I have given Terminal "Full Disk Access", so this command runs fine when I run it manually in Terminal, but when I load the launchd job, I get this output in system.log:

"building file list ... rsync: opendir "/Users/jay/Library/Messages/." failed: Operation not permitted (1)"

If I REMOVE "Full Disk Access" from Terminal and try to manually run the command, I get the same error. When I look in System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy, there does not seem to be an option for adding processes for Messages. I don't think it's wise to grant Full Disk Access to rsync.

So, how do I grant access to the Messages folder to rsync when being run by launchd? Do I have to grant Full Disk Access to rsync?

Posted on Feb 2, 2020 11:28 PM

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2 replies

John Galt

Level 10

155,300 points

Feb 3, 2020 5:10 AM in response to jaydisc

Do I have to grant Full Disk Access to rsync?

I think so, because rsync is the controlling process. I can't think of anything else that would prevent it from working.

If you post the entire launchd job I'll try to confirm it works. Your Terminal command definitely works but I did not need to grant full disk access to it, so that's sort of a mystery.

jaydisc Author

Level 4

1,464 points

Feb 3, 2020 3:55 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks. I thought that Catalina managed access to the ~/Messages folder similarly to the way it did Calendars, Contacts, Downloads, Desktop, etc. I was hoping to ONLY give rsync access to ~/Messages. As you say, giving rsync Full Disk Access enabled the launchd job to work.

I don't need to give Terminal.app Full Disk Access, but by doing so, I don't have to individually give access to tons of individual binaries.

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Provide access to ~/Messages folder to rsync?