I use

tar -zcvpf /backup/user/archive.tar.gz --directory /home/user --exclude=*.tar.* --exclude=*.rpm

to tar up files in a folder.

As you can see, I use --exclude=*.foo to exclude files that I don't want included.

Now, instead of --exclude, is there a way to "include" just a particular file type?

I read the manual for tar, but I didn't find anything.

For example, let's say I just want to archive *.php files in a folder that contains dozens of file types, how would I do that? Right now, my only option is to use --exclude over and over again until I've listed every single file type I don't want archived.

TIA.

?

Why don't simply...?
Finer search criteria can be done using tar in conjunction with the find command.

Edit: sorry for repetition, I did not see reply by AlucardZero before posting!

Very good. Thank you!

Too late lol! Tried something different from above

find . -size -400 -print > small-files
tar -c -v -z -T small-files -f little.tgz

It didn't work.

I guess I did a poor job of explaining what I wanted.

The TAR command would normally tar up files and sub-folders within the directory you specify.

The following:

cd /path/to/directory/containing/files/to/archive
tar -zcvpf /backup/user/archive.tar.gz *.php

only tarred up *.php files within /path/to/directory/containing/files/to/archive.
It doesn't touch any *.php files inside sub-folders below /path/to/directory/containing/files/to/archive

So if I have /path/to/directory/containing/files/to/archive/subfolder/index.php, it doesn't get archived. But I want it to be included.

TAR has the option --recursion, but it still did not work:

tar -zcvpf --recursion /backup/user/archive.tar.gz *.php

Uh... ok! In this case you can use find in conjunction with tar, as in
this will archive all .php files under /some/dir mantaining the subdir structure. Just a note on your last post:
the name of the archive must immediately follow the -f option: putting --recursion between -f and archive name can generate an error. Cheers!