Re: Question about using --exclude

No, the previous inclusion of the VM wouldn't cause the later exclusion to =
be ignored,  but it might take a while until it's moved away, due to the de=
lta mechanism=2E=20
Removing the file using rdiff-backup-delete might be a better option (but =
then it's completely gone)=2E

On February 23, 2025 7:44:07 PM UTC, Eric Beversluis via Any discussion of=
 rdiff-backup <rdiff-backup-users@nongnu=2Eorg> wrote:
>Eric, sorry about replying privately=2E I don't know what made me think y=
ou had replied to me privately=2E When I look now, I see it was addressed t=
o the list=2E Thanks for the suggestions re the command=2E
>
>Eric Beversluis
>www=2Eericbeversluis=2Ecom
>2x Honorable Mention--Writer's Digest Contest
>
>
>On 2/23/25 12:51 PM, EricZolf wrote:
>> Hi,
>>=20
>> again, please reply to the list and only to the list=2E
>>=20
>> On 23/02/2025 12:54, Eric Beversluis wrote:
>>> HI Eric,
>>> Maybe I edited too much out of the command to keep it brief=2E Here's =
the complete command=2E It's the one I've been long using with the addition=
 of '--api-version 201' and '--exclude '/home/eric/VirtualBox VMs''=2E
>>>=20
>>> sudo rdiff-backup --api-version 201 backup=C2=A0 --exclude '/home/eric=
/ VirtualBox VMs' --include /home/eric --include /var/www --include /var/ l=
ib/mysql --include /usr/share/fonts --exclude '**' / /run/media/eric/ ec90a=
f29-6371-4399-9f2f-5eaf005af33e/XPS-2024-11-08
>>>=20
>>> The 'VirtualBox VMs' directory has gotten too big, with the new VM in =
there (that I created from scratch) and the files of the VM I was trying to=
 restore from rdiff-backup=2E And since VirtualBox didn't like what I resto=
red from rdiff-backup, I decided to leave that whole directory out of the b=
ackup=2E
>>=20
>> You didn't say which version of rdiff-backup you're using, but the comm=
and line looks correct to me=2E
>> You could do 2 things:
>>=20
>> 1=2E add `--verbosity 5` (or more) _before_ backup to list the f\iles b=
acked-up and see which files are really listed=2E Without it, how do you kn=
ow which files are backed up?
>I knew it was backing up the \VirtualBox VMs directory when the backup wa=
s taking way too long, and I took a look at what was being written to the b=
ackup disk and the amount of space being used on the disk=2E At that point =
I aborted the backup and have since regressed it to the Feb 18 backup=2E
>
>(Using rdiff-backup 2=2E2=2E6 on Fedora 40=2E)
>
>Since the previous backup included \VirtualBox VMs, would that cause rdif=
f-backup to ignore the --exclude argument in the revised command?
>
>> 2=2E replace the space through a question mark in '/home/eric/VirtualBo=
x?VMs'; it shouldn't be an issue but you never know=2E
>>=20
>> KR, Eric
>>=20
>>>=20
>>> Thanks=2E
>>>=20
>>> Eric Beversluis
>>> www=2Eericbeversluis=2Ecom
>>> 2x Honorable Mention--Writer's Digest Contest
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>> On 2/23/25 2:51 AM, EricZolf wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>> are you sure this is the right command? It should have source and tar=
get directory, but this one has only target=2E Which version of rdiff-backu=
p are you using?
>>>> KR, Eric (too)
>>>>=20
>>>> On February 23, 2025 5:13:15 AM UTC, Eric Beversluis via Any discussi=
on of rdiff-backup <rdiff-backup-users@nongnu=2Eorg> wrote:
>>>>> I'm trying to back up my home directory while excluding the / Virtua=
lBox VMs directory=2E I came up with this new command that, according to th=
e syntax instructions, should mean rdiff-backup would henceforth skip that =
directory=2E
>>>>>=20
>>>>> =C2=A0=C2=A0 rdiff-backup --api-version 201 backup=C2=A0 --exclude
>>>>> =C2=A0=C2=A0 '/home/eric/VirtualBox VMs' --include /home/eric
>>>>> =C2=A0=C2=A0 --exclude '**' /run/media/eric/backup
>>>>>=20
>>>>>=20
>>>>> Yet, when I ran this command, it proceeded to backup the 'VirtualBox=
 VMs' folder=2E I thought I understood the syntax as saying that the -- exc=
lude Folder, coming before the --include /home/eric would take precedence a=
nd leave Folder out of the /home/eric backup=2E
>>>>>=20
>>>>> What am I getting wrong here?
>>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>
>