What does adding the asterisk actually do?

[Mike DSM]

Hello,

I'm trying to set up a new config file. When I right-click a given folder to get the Include or Exclude options, I get a choice to either have it led by an asterisk or not.

Ex: /Dropbox/ or */Dropbox/

I can't see any difference it's making in the list of files. What's it for?

Thank you,

Mike

[Mike DSM]

Let me add that in the Manual under the topic 'Exclude Items' I've found the following:

Filter description Filter Phrase
All subdirectories of the base directories *\

Note: I can't get the page formatting to post properly in the two sentences above.

That would seem to mean that if you want all subfolders of a given folder to be part of your Exclude or Include you must use the asterisk, and NOT using it would give the opposite result.

However that doesn't appear to be actually happening in my file list. My using or not using the leading asterisk seems to make no difference.

Thank you,

Mike

[Plerry]

Note that all file- and folder definitions in the include and exclude filter are relative to the root of your left- and right-location.
Excluding /Dropbox/ will exclude the folder Dropbox (if any) present in the root of your left- and/or right-location, but none of the Dropbox folders (if any) deeper down the left- and/or right-location folder tree.
Conversely, */Dropbox/ will exclude all Dropbox folders anywhere in the left- and/or right-location tree (including in the left-and/or right-location root).

(Only) if your Dropbox folder is in the root of your left- and/or right-location, and no other folders named Dropbox exist down the tree of your left-and/or right-locations, excluding /Dropbox/ or */Dropbox will behave equivalent.

[Mike DSM]

Ok I'm still a bit fuzzy on this one but I think I get it.

Adding the leading asterisk tells FreeFileSync to include in the filter criteria every folder by that name that exists from your root location down. It has nothing to do with including or excluding files within the folder (except as would naturally occur as a result of the folder or folders being included in the filter criteria. Correct?

When you mention the "root of your location", which are you referring to:

the folder you currently have selected in the left pane (folder tree), or

the folder (or drive letter) that is the lowest level of the path you placed in the "Add folder pairs" field at the top of the main window?

Thank you,

Mike

[Plerry]

...It has nothing to do with including or excluding files within the folder (except as would naturally occur as a result of the folder or folders being included in the filter criteria. Correct?

As far as you are talking about the include-filter, you have to specify the files to be included.
So, if you want to include all files in the folder Dropbox in the left- and right-root locations, you should specify \Dropbox\* in your include filter.
If you want to include all files in all Dropbox folders anywhere in the left- and right-root locations, you should specify *\Dropbox\* in your include filter.
As far as the exclude filter is concerned, it suffices to exclude just the folder, which automatically excludes all of its content (so: \Dropbox\ or *\Dropbox\ ), although excluding all files ( \Dropbox\* or *\Dropbox\* ) will also work.

... When you mention the "root of your location", which are you referring to:

There I refer to the left-and right location(s) as specified in the boxes numbered 6 and 7 in the Main Dialog Overview in the FFS manual. The manual page on includes and excludes refers to those as locations as "synchronization base directories"
I suppose that is what you mean by "the folder (or drive letter) that is the lowest level of the path you placed in the "Add folder pairs" field at the top of the main window"

[Mike DSM]

As far as you are talking about the include-filter, you have to specify the files to be included.
So, if you want to include all files in the folder Dropbox in the left- and right-root locations, you should specify \Dropbox\* in your include filter.
If you want to include all files in all Dropbox folders anywhere in the left- and right-root locations, you should specify *\Dropbox\* in your include filter.
As far as the exclude filter is concerned, it suffices to exclude just the folder, which automatically excludes all of its content (so: \Dropbox\ or *\Dropbox\ ), although excluding all files ( \Dropbox\* or *\Dropbox\* ) will also work.

Thank you, I get it now (a little surprised that exclude is treated differently by the program).

There I refer to the left-and right location(s) as specified in the boxes numbered 6 and 7 in the Main Dialog Overview in the FFS manual. The manual page on includes and excludes refers to those as locations as "synchronization base directories"
I suppose that is what you mean by "the folder (or drive letter) that is the lowest level of the path you placed in the "Add folder pairs" field at the top of the main window"

Yes those locations are what I meant.

Thank you very much for the help! I think I have another post out there to thank you for, I'll go look for it now.

Mike