asked on

Exclude file in tar on SCO Unix

I am using tar to back up a directory in SCO Openserver 5. I want to exclude a directory in that directory. I don't want to back it up. How do I accomplish this using tar.

example:

tar cvf /backup/tarfile /usr/test/ac
this backs up everthing in /usr/test/ac

I want to back up everything but a directory called mar in the "ac" directory.

mikelfritz

list=`find /usr/test/ac | grep -v /mar/`
tar cvf /backup/tarfile $list

foxhelp

ASKER

tried that, it still backups up the "mar" directory. Does list= put "mar" in a file or something that I can look at? when I do the tar after the list, it still shows me mar as a directory that is being backed up.

mikelfritz

It will backup the directory - but it will be empty - no files under /usr/test/ac/mar will be included.

list=`find /usr/test/ac | grep -v /mar/`

creates a variable that contains the files you want - "grep -v" will exclude "/mar/*" from the list.

try:
list=`find /usr/test/ac | grep -v /mar/`
echo $list

that should show you what it will backup.

If you want to exclude the directory as well you can use this (with a caveat):
list=`find /usr/test/ac | grep -v /mar`

This will exclude both the /usr/test/ac/mar directory and contents, but also any file starting with "mar" in the /usr/test/ac directory.

mikelfritz

You could also get gnu tar for openserver - I think it supports the exclude directives:

ftp://ftp2.sco.com/pub/skunkware/osr5/fileutil/tar/

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

mikelfritz

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial