[SOLVED] BASH - tar --exclude not working

worm5252 · 02-18-2010, 04:18 PM

Hey guys, I wrote this script up a while back to do a full backup of my HOME directory. However there are certain sub-directories and hidden files I do not want to include in the back up. for example I do not want to include my virtual machines I use in vmware as I have a separate backup to get those.

Here is my Script

Code:

#!/bin/bash
#
# This script is designed to backup a users home directory
#

# Set script global variables
SRCDIR="/home/`whoami`"
ARCHIVE="`hostname`-`whoami`-`date +%F`.`date +%H%M`.tar.bz2"
#BACKUP="files/"
STORE="/mnt/nfs/File_Store/Backups"
EXCLUDE="$ARCHIVE,.vm,.vm/*,Music,Music/*,tmp,tmp/*,Downloads,Downloads/,.adobe,.adobe/*,.azureus,.azureus/*,.cache,.cache/*,.dmrc,.dmrc/*,.dvdrip,.dvdrip/*,.dvdcss,.dvdcss/*,.DCOPserver_Sarah__0,.dvdriprc,.ICEauthority,.macromedia,.macromedia/*,.mcop,.mcop/*,.mcoprc,.mplayer,.mplayer/*,.qt,.qt/*,.recently-used,.recently-used.xbel,.themes,.thumbnails,.VirtualBox,.VirtualBox/*,.themes/*,.thumbnails/*,.vlc,.vlc/*,.w3m,.w3m/*,.Xauthority,.xchat2,.xchat2/*,.xfe,.xfe/*,.xscreensaver,.xsession-errors"

# Change to users home directory and backup files
cd $SRCDIR
tar cpjP --file=$ARCHIVE $SRCDIR --exclude={$EXCLUDE}
mv $ARCHIVE $STORE

# Delete old backups and save the last 3 backups
touch backuplist.lst

ls -r1 $STORE/$(hostname)* | sed '1,4d' >>backuplist.lst

cat backuplist.lst | while read line ; do
        rm $line
done

rm backuplist.lst

The problem is when the tar command is executed, it is not excluding the specified files and folders. I don't understand why. Can someone explain to me why it is not excluding the listed files and folders?

mattca · 02-18-2010, 04:29 PM

Not really familiar with the --exclude option, but some I found some info via google that may be helpful.

Try putting the --exclude option at the beginning of the command.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=147501

Also check these links out, they may be helpful:
http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Documenta...r_6.html#SEC97
http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Documenta...r_6.html#SEC98

worm5252 · 02-18-2010, 06:04 PM

Thanks for the Reply.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattca

Try putting the --exclude option at the beginning of the command.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=147501

I will look into that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattca

Also check these links out, they may be helpful:
http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Documenta...r_6.html#SEC97
http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Documenta...r_6.html#SEC98

I have read those before. I read em when I was trying to figure this out on my own.

Think I will tinker with this as you have helped me see a problem with my tar command. I have

Code:

tar cpjP --file=$ARCHIVE $SRCDIR --exclude={$EXCLUDE}

I need to list $SRCDIR after the --exclude statement. Like this

Code:

tar cpjP --file=$ARCHIVE --exclude={$EXCLUDE} $SRCDIR

raconteur · 02-18-2010, 06:10 PM

It appears that the exclusion parameter should be a shell globbing expression pattern. I don't think a comma-delimited list will match.

This article has more info (search for exclude).

Of particular note in that article:

"use ‘--exclude’ when files to be excluded are given as a pattern on the command line. Use ‘--exclude-from’ to introduce the name of a file which contains a list of patterns, one per line; each of these patterns can exclude zero, one, or many files"

hth