--- name: "pimsync-migration" section: "7" platform: "linux" package: "pimsync" version: "0.5.7-1" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/pimsync-migration" --- # pimsync-migration(7) migration guide from vdirsyncer to pimsync ## NAME **pimsync-migration** – migration guide from vdirsyncer to pimsync ## DESCRIPTION This migration guide covers changes to be kept in mind when migrating from vdirsyncer to pimsync. It is geared towards users with a working configuration of the previous implementation. ## MISSING FEATURES The following features are implemented by vdirsyncer 0.19.3, but are not currently not available in pimsync: - **auth** **digest** This needs to be implemented as a ‘tower-service’ middleware. Should not be too complicated. - **partial\_sync** This configuration parameter probably won't come back in the same way. A "mirror" is the most likely successor. With this directive set, [pimsync(1)](/pimsync/1.md) would make B a mirror of A. In this mode, exactly one storage MUST be defined a read\_only. - **post\_hook** configuration parameter. Future versions might stream events, so external handlers can react to them instead. - **start\_date**, **end\_date**, and **item\_types** configuration parameters for CalDav storages. These are planned, but no specific time frame. - The **singlefile** storage, which saves all events in a calendar into a single file. The following features are not present and unlikely to be implemented without a compelling use case. Please reach out if your require some of these: - Encodings other than UTF-8 - All metadata is synchronised. Selecting individual fields is not currently possible. - The **fileignoreext** configuration parameter. ## CONFIGURATION FILE FORMAT The configuration format has changed. The general approach is the same but the syntax has been greatly simplified for humans to write. Technically, the format is the \*scfg\* format. It is documented in detail in [pimsync.conf(5)](/pimsync.conf/5.md). The following: ``` [pair.contacts] a = "contacts_local" b = "contacts_fastmail" collections = "all" conflict_resolution = ["nvim", "-d"] ``` Becomes: ``` pair contacts { storage_a contacts_local storage_b contacts_fastmail collections all conflict_resolution cmd nvim -d } ``` And the following: ``` [storage.contacts_local] type = "filesystem" path = "~/.local/share/contacts/" fileext = "vcf" ``` Becomes this: ``` storage contacts_local { type vdir/vcard path ~/.local/share/contacts/ fileext vcf } ``` ## FETCH MECHANISMS The **prompt** mechanism for fetching passwords has been dropped. A **fetch** definition with a **command** would previously look like this: ``` password.fetch = ["command", "hiq", "-dFpassword", "proto=carddavs", "username=…"] ``` Now a block is provided to **password** with a single **cmd** directive specifying the command and its arguments. ``` password { cmd hiq -dFpassword proto=carddavs username=… } ``` A **fetch** definition with a **shell** now uses a similar syntax: ``` password { shell pass show communication/migadu.com | head -1 } ``` ### MIGRATING FETCH / PROMPT Use an external prompter instead. For a GUI prompter, consider using: ``` password { cmd zenity --password } ``` [pimsync(1)](/pimsync/1.md) will request passwords in sequence, so no special considerations are required to prevent concurrent prompts. ## MANUAL DISCOVERY IS NO LONGER REQUIRED Discovering collections ahead of time is no longer required. Collections are discovered automatically if necessary. The **discover** command merely prints discovered collections as a convenience for manually configuring collections. It does not affect pimsync's internal state. See [pimsync(1)](/pimsync/1.md) for details. ## AUTOMATIC CREATION OF COLLECTIONS If a pair is configured to synchronise all collections **from** **a** and a new collection is found on storage A, then the collection will automatically be created on storage B. For scenarios where automatic creation of collections is undesirable, individual collection should be explicitly specified instead. ## DRY RUNS ARE NOW POSSIBLE It is now possible to execute a dry run, which only prints the tentative plan without executing it. The output is somewhat terse at this stage and not in its final form. This can be used to audit new configurations and ensure that the planned actions make sense. ## FILESYSTEM STORAGES HAVE BEEN RENAMED TO VDIR Filesystem collections have been renamed to **vdir**. They must now specify what type of items they contains. A directory with icalendar files should specify: ``` type = "vdir/icalendar" ``` A directory with vcard files should specify: ``` type vdir/vcard ``` ## CUSTOM ENCODINGS FOR VDIR STORAGE The vdir storage saves files as UTF-8. If another encoding is required for some scenario, please open an issue at: https://todo.sr.ht/~whynothugo/pimsync ## FILESYSTEM FILEEXT FIELD The **fileext** field for filesystem storages required a leading dot. This is no longer the case; the dot is not considered part of the extensions and should be omitted. Omit the leading dot when porting configurations. ## COLLECTIONS ARE DECLARED IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT To synchronise all collections from both sides, use: ``` collections all ``` To synchronise all collections present on a specific storage, use: ``` collections from b ``` ### SPECIFYING INDIVIDUAL COLLECTIONS Individual collections can be specified by *id* or by *href:* *file ...* **id** is the name from the discovery process. *file ...* **href** is the full path inside the storage. Generally, using an *id* is recommended. Using *href* is intended for situations where discovery is not possible or where multiple collections have the same *id*. To specify a single collection by id, use: ``` collection c037725e-e4fd-4b3e-b73d-d5e27d5a90a9 ``` The above will find synchronise collections with the given id between both storages. Two different collections can mapped on each side: ``` pair my_pair { # other fields here # first collection collection { alias personal href_a /calendars/hugo/c037725e-e4fd-4b3e-b73d-d5e27d5a90a9/ href_b /personal/ } # another collection collection { alias work id_a work href_b /calendars/work/ } } ``` Specifying collection *null* is no longer allowed; configuration should point to an explicitly collection instead. ## HTTP STORAGE IS NOW CALLED WEBCAL The type of the **http** storage is now **webcal**, to better reflect its nature; other storages also use HTTP internally. ## WEBCAL COLLECTION ID Due to its nature, the WebCal storage has a single collection. However, this collection has no id. A collection id must be provided for it explicitly. This simplifies configurations where it must be synchronised to another calendar with the same collection id. ``` storage calendars_lessons { type http collection_id lessons url { cmd hiq -dFurl proto=webcal alias=lessons } } ``` ## READ ONLY The **read\_only** takes no values. Its presence makes a storage read only. To make a storage read-write, remove the directive. ## STATUS Vdirsyncer keeps a status database in order to distinguish whether an item has changed on one side or both. Pimsync does not import this status database in any way. If you are migrating and have existing remote and local storages, makes sure that they are in sync before switching over. After the first run, pimsync will build its own status database. Migrating with out-of-sync storages will result in conflicts during the first run. ## TLS CONFIGURATION The **verify** configuration directive is now named **tls\_root**. The **verify\_fingerprint** configuration directive is now named **tls\_fingerprint**. ## ISSUES Please report issues at: https://todo.sr.ht/~whynothugo/vdirsyncer-rs If you have a working vdirsyncer configuration, and this page is missing details necessary when upgrading, please reach out so this documentation can be improved. ## SEE ALSO - [pimsync(1)](/pimsync/1.md) - [pimsync.conf(5)](/pimsync.conf/5.md) - ‘scfg, simple configuration format, https://git.sr.ht/~emersion/scfg’ - hiq(1), used to query a himitsu(7) secret store.