How to setup a whitelist backup?

[byzod]

I have many software folders which I want to backup some config files and database generated by user, but exclude all software files itself (which I can easily download again if lost)

The problem is, I don't see a white list backup mode?

If I set a "include *" filter and exclude software files manually, including 1000 files and exclude 996 files feels dumb, more worse, if the software generate any new junk (for example crash202404.dmp or any other unknown files), it will be synced, as discussed here: viewtopic.php?t=524

If I set a "exclude *" filter and only add files I want... I can't, the excluded files is not displayed, as discussed here: viewtopic.php?t=9861

What's the correct way to setup a config backup rules?

[Plerry]

> How to setup a whitelist backup?

Whitelisting sound synonymous to listing in the FFS Include Filter (instead of using the default Include Filter entry * (=everything)).
But from your posting it seems you tried that and it does not work for you (or you did not make optimal use of the benefit of using wildcards in your filter rules)

> What's the correct way to setup a config backup rules?

There is no single best/correct way. It really depends on your specific use case.
The solution can often be found in specifying one or more "suitable" left-right folder pairs and/or the use of Include and/or Exclude Filter rules, which will likely involve the use of * and/or ? wildcards and folder separators (/ or \).

[byzod]

Whitelisting sound synonymous to listing in the FFS Include Filter (instead of using the default Include Filter entry * (=everything)).
But from your posting it seems you tried that and it does not work for you (or you did not make optimal use of the benefit of using wildcards in your filter rules)

To be more clear, yes, FFS can do a whitelist filter by adding files I need manually into the filter box
But the different is the sacrifice of the GUI convenience

Say, I'm trying to backup configs of notepad++
The default (blacklist) mode is like, include * in path C:\app\notepad++, the ffs listed thousands of files but I can batch choose many of them easily from the GUI, right click and press "add to exclude", done

But when new temporary files generated, they got synced, to avoid this I need to add those temporary files into exclude list, *.pyc for example. But with new plug-in installed, new version introduce new features, there will alway be junk files that I don't know included
FFS was made for automation in backup progress right? Then if I had to check if the files are wanted and update the filter rules every few weeks, will it be batter than I write a backup.bat? Don't forget this is just notepad++, imagine that you need to keep track on filter rules of 50 applications

Then I try to edit include rule myself. Select needed files in GUI and click "add to include"? No, as I said, FFS don't allow me to do that, excluded files are not displayed. So I need to edit the include rules manually

Then I need to open the notepad++ directory, shift and right click on config.xml, copy path, paste into include rules, delete unneeded drive path, that's one rule added.
There's like 132 left. Manually.
That's notepad++, there're other 50 applications left

Frankly speaking, if I need to do this one line by one line, why bother downloading this rather than write a copyfiles.bat

[Plerry]

I am trying to imagine how FFS (or any other sync tool, for that matter) would be able to decide which (new) files to include and which to exclude, if not based on common characteristics like file extension or (part of the) path or filename.
But thus far I have not been able to come with anything.
Do you (byzod) have any hints/suggestions?

[byzod]

I am trying to imagine how FFS (or any other sync tool, for that matter) would be able to decide which (new) files to include and which to exclude, if not based on common characteristics like file extension or (part of the) path or filename.
But thus far I have not been able to come with anything.
Do you (byzod) have any hints/suggestions?

An easy way is like this: viewtopic.php?t=9861

[byzod]

I am trying to imagine how FFS (or any other sync tool, for that matter) would be able to decide which (new) files to include and which to exclude, if not based on common characteristics like file extension or (part of the) path or filename.
But thus far I have not been able to come with anything.
Do you (byzod) have any hints/suggestions?

Hey I just find a workaround that is not so tedious:

Set Include to * and ffs will display all files, then select all files I want and click "include by filter"
Then those files will be added to include filter for "all folder pair"
Then edit the rules (since rules created this way will include parent folder which includes all it's subfolder that you may don't want), then cut it from "all folder pair" section to the folder pair you need
Then, change the include rule of "all folder pair" back to * to setup the next folder pair

I wander is there any way to add rules to the current folder pair, instead of adding it to global rules when create rules from context menu?