Easy way to exclude multiple folders

[samthewebman]

I have directory with folders for 50 different web sites. As: D:\HTML\WEB1
D:\HTML\WEB3 D:\HTML\WEB3 .....

I backup say WEB1, WEB6,WEB11, WEB16 daily. So, I have a batch job that backs
up these 4 directories.

Then I have a second batch job that backs up all of D:\HTML and I want to
exclude the directories that are backed up daily. In reality there are around
15, not just the 4 above. I believe there's a better way than manually
entering the 20 excluded directories into the exclude filter.

I've seen a reference here to using the main grid's context menu after a
compare and select the excluded directories that way. I'm sorry but I can't
get my head around that. Can someone please explain in a bit of detail how to
go about that.

Sorry to seem dense ... Sam

[Zenju]

After comparison, you select the /folders you want to exclude, right-click and
select "exclude via filter". You can do this on main grid, but also on
overview grid which is better suited to exclude folders.

[samthewebman]

Excuse me but if you're still following this, what's the "overview grid".

I did a full compare of a huge directory with many hundreds of subdirectories
and thousands of lines in the compare display on main grid. I'd like to
exclude directories by filter but it takes forever to scroll the list to the
next directory.

Thanks for any further help ... Sam

[Zenju]

This is the panel shown on the left of the main dialog. Maybe you've hidden it
unconsciously. To show it again, just right-click somewhere on the panels and
select "show overview".

[samthewebman]

That's an amazingly quick response! I did not know there was an option to
"show compressed view". That was also amazing! Thank you for pointing it out
to me.

I have another question while I have your attention. If you prefer I make this
a separate thread I'd be happy to do that.

I almost deleted a large system backup file that was in the root of my backup
drive (K:). If I want to mirror sync all subdirectories in my data drive (D:)
but exclude ALL individual files in the root of K:, is there syntax that will
permit this?

Thank you for sharing your expertise with this program. It's terrific!

[Zenju]

> "show compressed view".


Maybe it's time for a FFS update? :)


> is there syntax that will permit this?


Yes, use "*\*" as an include filter. This is one of the tricks documented in
the help file, section "Exclude items".

[samthewebman]

Aha! Exclude filters I have worked with but not Include filters. You must be
one of the authors of this wonderful software since you have all the answers.

I changed my include filter from * to *\ to include only folders. Then I added
* to the exclude filter to exclude everything. I didn't realize that the
include filter trumps the exclude filter. This method worked like a charm and
none of the root files were considered in the sync..

Thanks once again ... Sam