Exclude / Include, definitive answer?

I want to backup folder: C:\Users\
I want to exclude: C:\Users\:\AppData\
I want to force include: C:\Users\:\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\*

Is it possible?


From my reading of the faq I understand that the moment I put something in to include, the default backup location is ignored.

As soon as you define an include pattern only files which match this pattern are backed up.

So I am left with two field I can put stuff in - exclude and include.

So what happens when I put the same pattern in those fields? Like C:\Users\*

Well, one of them wins, from my testing it seems to be exclude.

But then the whole point of having location to back up and two section exclude and include is gone… when include just took on the duty of the original backup location.

What patterns, exactly, did you try?

I would have started with
Include: C:\Users\:\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\*;C:\Users\*
Exclude: C:\Users\:\AppData\*

If I then found the Exclude was preventing the Thunderbird backup, I’d look at 8.3.5 Virtual sub client names, which is a way of having multiple backup jobs defined for a single client. This lets you schedule different directories for backup on different schedules, or, as here, include files that would otherwise be excluded by the main backup.

As the Administration Manual is short on examples, here is a forum post covering much of what you ask.

I would have started with
Include: C:\Users\:\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\*;C:\Users\*
Exclude: C:\Users\:\AppData\*

I think I had that one too
testing again, but nope, appdata gets excluded by the strongest rule

Virtual sub clients allow you to have different file backup sets with one client. Once you specify virtual sub clients, multiple clients will appear with the name “clientname[subclientname]”.

appreciate the info on the option of virtual, but I today I am tired today and will likely keep it simple like this

backup folder: C:\Users\
exclude: C:\Users\:\AppData\Local*

the above rule gets rid of %appdata%/local and %appdata%/locallow and since thats where most cache and temp is I guess it should be fine

That idea with a virtual client gave me an idea on how to solve this riddle.

Specify C:\Users as path to backup twice, then exclude by name, i.e.

Paths to backup:
C:\Users|Users
C:\Users|ThunderbirdData

Exclude: Users\:\AppData
Include: Users\*;ThunderbirdData\:\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\*

That said, I would always err on the side of backing up too much and manually exclude all the cache folders (and the setup wizard does it this way).