sudo mrdir -P /var/apps/BACKUPS/transfer_in_progress
sudo mrdir -P /var/apps/BACKUPS/to_be_transfered

given you add files to /var/apps/BACKUPS/to_be_transfered

#!/usr/bin/env sh

HOST=fedora@111.222.333.444

if ssh $HOST "find /var/apps/BACKUPS/to_be_transfered/ -type f -print -quit | grep -q ."; then
   echo "The remote directory contains files. Executing the local command..."
    
   ssh $HOST "rsync -rt --remove-source-files  /var/apps/BACKUPS/to_be_transfered/  /var/apps/BACKUPS/in_progres"
   rsync -rt --remove-source-files "$HOST:/var/apps/BACKUPS/in_progres/*" /media/t/bckup/hetz/2025/
else
    echo "The remote directory is empty or only contains nested empty directories."
fi

crontab -e

30 2 * * * cd /dir/where/the_sh_script/is/located && script.sh >> script.log

(execute at 2:30 in the morning every day)

ssh key in different location

Same script but SSH key is in different folder (e.g in encrypted drive). Best approach is to configure ssh config .ssh/config

cat .ssh/config

Host 111.222.333.444
    User root
    IdentityFile /media/t/bckup/hetz/ssh/pi_ed25519

And same script will work

Rsync remote files to local comp & delete transfered files

ssh key in different location

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