use scp to copy all files within directory -- NOT the directory -- to remote location

Question

If you read all from post How to copy all files from a directory to a remote directory using scp? you will find there is no answer that actually (as in ALWAYS) works, even though a (non)answer has a big green check mark.

I have the following "solution" but am asking whether someone knows a less cumbersome method.

1. Use "scp -r" to copy local_directory to remote_directory -- note that local_directory will be placed within remote_directory which is NOT desired but is easily fixed...
2. On remote machine create links within remote_directory to the files within remote_directory/local_directory -- I recommend the "find" command executing the "ln" command to accomplish this.
3. On remote machine use "rm -r remote_directory/local_directory" to remove unwanted directory.

Answer 1

This is similar to How to copy a folder recursively in an idempotent way using cp? but works only for the newer scp that uses SFTP to transfer its files:

scp -rp /path/to/src/. remoteHost:/path/to/dst

The trailing /. on the source is the key to its success.

1. Where dst does not exist, the source path is backtracked and the name src is used
2. Where dst does already exist, the source directory . and its contents are copied to it. But since . means this directory, no additional subdirectory is created