Robing / trzsz

trzsz is a simple file transfer tools, similar to lrzsz ( rz / sz ), and compatible with tmux.

trzsz

trzsz is a simple file transfer tools, similar to lrzsz ( rz / sz ) but compatible with tmux.

which works with iTerm2 and has a nice progress bar.

Website: https://trzsz.github.io

Why?

I love to use iTerm2 integrating with tmux to manage terminal sessions.

Sometimes, I need to transfer some files between my laptop and the remote server.

Considering laptop -> hostA -> hostB -> docker -> tmux , using scp to transfer files is inconvenience.

Tmux is not going to support lrzsz ( rz / sz ) ( 906, 1439 ), and I found out that creating a new file transfer tools is much easier than patching tmux.

Additionally, iTerm2-zmodem is not supporting a progress bar. Is there something wrong happened or just need more time?

Requirements

• Python
  • Python’s standard library is good enough.
• iTerm2
  • Tmux Integration and Coprocesses are so cool.
  • btw without tmux works too.
• zenity
  • Optional for a nice progress bar.

Installation

Server side

Install trzsz-svr

sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade trzsz-libs trzsz-svr

• Also supports Python2:

  sudo pip install --upgrade trzsz-libs trzsz-svr
  

• Can be installed without sudo, but need to add the installation path ( may be ~/.local/bin ) to the PATH environment.
• trz -v or tsz -v output the version of trzsz means successfully installed. Otherwise, check the output of the previous installation.

Client side

Install trzsz-iterm2

sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade trzsz-libs trzsz-iterm2

• Also supports Python2:

  sudo pip install --upgrade trzsz-libs trzsz-iterm2
  

• which trzsz-iterm2 output /usr/local/bin/trzsz-iterm2 means successfully installed. if not:
  • which trzsz-iterm2 shows nothing, check the output of the previous installation.
  • which trzsz-iterm2 shows another path, create a soft link:
    sudo ln -sv $(which trzsz-iterm2) /usr/local/bin/trzsz-iterm2

Install iTerm2 and create a Trigger as follows.

Name	Value	Note
Regular Expression	:(:TRZSZ:TRANSFER:[SR]:\d+\.\d+\.\d+:\d+)	No space at the end
Action	Run Silent Coprocess
Parameters	/usr/local/bin/trzsz-iterm2 \1	No space at the end
Enabled	✅	Checked

• Don't check the Use interpolated strings for parameters at the bottom.

• Note that the Trigger should be configured for each Profile in use.

• iTerm2 Trigger configuration allows input multiple lines, but only shows one line. Make sure don't copy a newline into it.

Optional install zenity for a nice progress bar.

brew install ncruces/tap/zenity

• If Mac M1 install fails, try to install with go:

  brew install go
  go install 'github.com/ncruces/zenity/cmd/zenity@latest'
  sudo cp ~/go/bin/zenity /usr/local/bin/zenity
  

• which zenity output /usr/local/bin/zenity means successfully installed. if not:
  • which zenity shows nothing, check the output of the previous installation.
  • which zenity shows another path, create a soft link:
    sudo ln -sv $(which zenity) /usr/local/bin/zenity

Manual

trz upload files to remote server

usage: trz [-h] [-v] [-q] [-y] [-b] [-e] [-B N] [-t N] [path]

Receive file(s), similar to rz but compatible with tmux.

positional arguments:
  path               path to save file(s). (default: current directory)

optional arguments:
  -h, --help         show this help message and exit
  -v, --version      show program's version number and exit
  -q, --quiet        quiet (hide progress bar)
  -y, --overwrite    yes, overwrite existing file(s)
  -b, --binary       binary transfer mode, faster for binary files
  -e, --escape       escape all known control characters
  -B N, --bufsize N  buffer chunk size ( 1K <= N <= 100M ). (default: 1M)
  -t N, --timeout N  timeout ( N seconds ) for each buffer chunk.
                     N <= 0 means never timeout. (default: 100)

tsz download files from remote server

usage: tsz [-h] [-v] [-q] [-y] [-b] [-e] [-B N] [-t N] file [file ...]

Send file(s), similar to sz but compatible with tmux.

positional arguments:
  file               file(s) to be sent

optional arguments:
  -h, --help         show this help message and exit
  -v, --version      show program's version number and exit
  -q, --quiet        quiet (hide progress bar)
  -y, --overwrite    yes, overwrite existing file(s)
  -b, --binary       binary transfer mode, faster for binary files
  -e, --escape       escape all known control characters
  -B N, --bufsize N  buffer chunk size ( 1K <= N <= 100M ). (default: 1M)
  -t N, --timeout N  timeout ( N seconds ) for each buffer chunk.
                     N <= 0 means never timeout. (default: 100)

Trouble shooting

• If tmux is not running on the remote server, but on the local mac, or on a middle server.

  • Since trzsz can't find the tmux process on the server, have to use the tmux -CC control mode.
  • About how to use the tmux -CC control mode, please refer to iTerm2 tmux Integration.

• If an error occurs, and trzsz is hanging up.

  • Press command + option + shift + r to stop iTerm2 Coprocesses.
  • Press control + c to stop trz or tsz process on the server.

• If trz -b binary upload fails, and login to server using telnet or docker exec.

  • Try to escape all known control characters, e.g., trz -eb.

• If trz -b binary upload fails, and the server is using Python3 < 3.7.

  • Python3 < 3.7 supports base64 mode, just don't use trz -b, use trz instead.
  • If you want to use trz -b binary upload, upgrade Python3 to above 3.7, or use Python2.

• If trz -b or tsz -b binary transfer fails, and login to server using expect.

  • Try to export LC_CTYPE=C before the expect script. e.g.:

    #!/bin/sh
    export LC_CTYPE=C
    expect -c '
      spawn ssh xxx
      expect "xxx: "
      send "xxx\n"
      interact
    '
    

Screenshot

Upload files to remote server

Download files from remote server

Contact

Feel free to email me [e-mail] (same as my PayPal account, just in case you want to deduct🤑).