Rules - Explicit Path

[Camelhump]

I want to exclude system files and folders from my back ups. Why back them up when I can re-install?

 

To that end on OS X I want to Exclude /Library - BUT - I want to Include /users/username/library - this way I can save the users settings and preferences.

 

I know I can set MacPath to /library/ - but that is going to see both library folders. How do I catch one explicit folder (or file for that matter) in one location, but not in another?

 

Im assuming I can use somehow use Macpath - but Im not sure how.

 

Thanks

[rhwalker]

One way would be to define /Users as a "Favorite" (formerly known as "subvolumes", implemented as chroot). Doing it that way avoids scanning the entire boot volume.

 

Remember, by the current Retrospect design, first the entire volume's filesystem is recursively scanned, building a file list, then that list is passed through the selector filters (um, Rules), to create the list of files eligible for backup, and then that list is compared against the contents of the backup set (um, media set) to see what files have changed.

 

If all you are going to back up off of the boot volume is that one filesystem branch, you might as well limit the scanning to that branch.

 

Russ

[Camelhump]

I dont think the Favorites approach works.

 

Why?

Because this is not a single computer, but a Rule im trying to build up.

 

So... a favorite for one computer , as far as I can see, does not apply to other computers (as part of a Rule).

 

My final Rule will be complex (or at least it is intended to be), it will (or is supposed to) be built up of many smaller Rules, see my post on getting a Rule for Music to work.

 

So my FInal Rulle will look something like:

Include all files but caches

exclude

Music

Movies over 100meg

system

Trash and Invisibles

etc

etc

etc

 

so... I need to know how to exclude /library, but INCLUDE ~/users/username/library

 

[Maser]

So, the above implies you want a rule to work when backing up multiple computers (right?)

 

So, that leads to the obvious question: Do you even *need* to back up the operating system and applications?

 

If not, why not just mark the "Users" folder as the Favorite Folder for each computer and just backup that (and apply your rules accordingly?)

 

 

Then, if somebody crashes, you just install your "load image" and then restore the users documents accordingly?

 

[twickland]

so... I need to know how to exclude /library, but INCLUDE ~/users/username/library

Under Exclude, have an All conditional with two subconditions:

 

1) folder Mac path contains /Library AND

2) a None conditional with the following single subcondition: Mac path contains /Users.

[Camelhump]

>So, the above implies you want a rule to work when backing up multiple computers (right?)

yes - over 100, and not all macs.

 

>So, that leads to the obvious question: Do you even *need* to back up the operating system and applications?

 

no --- and this is exactly what I am trying to get too.

 

I asked how to use the macpath (but would apply to windowspath) to include/exclude files.

 

Rules have to be setup to INCLUDE those thing(s) you want to exclude, eventually.

 

Rule - include music

then

Rule - things not to back up

Exclude : Rule music

 

> If not, why not just mark the "Users" folder as the Favorite Folder for each computer and just backup that (and this was already suggested - and does not work - as least as far as I can tell across multiple computers.

 

I can set a/many user directory(ies) for a single computer, but those only apply to THAT computer, not the the other 100 or so...

 

 

 

Addiitonally

1 - I am NOT going to do manually this for every bloody computer.

2 - I have computers other than Macs to back up.

3 - EVEN IF - reiterate, it aint going to happen - I setup user directories as favorites on every computer, then any time I add/change a user on a system, I have to remember to go back into Retrospect and add that user or remove that user.

4 - there ARE files, which get placed in locations other than the users directory which I want to catch - such as file placed by users at root level (see 2 above).

5 - automation - that is the primary idea behind the Rules - automate the task - let the computer do the work...

 

 

>Then, if somebody crashes, you just install your "load image" and then restore the users documents accordingly?

 

that would be so nice.... however you have to have a fairly homogenous group of computers to do that....