bkexcept(1M) bkexcept(1M)
NAME
bkexcept - change or display an exception list for incremental
backups
SYNOPSIS
bkexcept [-t file] [-d patterns]
bkexcept [-t file] -a|-r patterns
bkexcept -C [files]
DESCRIPTION
The bkexcept command displays a list of patterns describing files
that are to be excluded when backup operations occur using incfile.
The list is known as the ``exception list.''
bkexcept may be executed only by a user with superuser privilege.
bkexcept -a adds patterns to the list.
bkexcept -d displays patterns from the list.
bkexcept -r removes patterns from the list.
Patterns
Patterns describe individual pathnames or sets of pathnames.
Patterns must conform to pathname naming conventions specified under
DEFINITIONS on the intro(2) page. A pattern is taken as a filename
and is interpreted in the manner of cpio. A pattern can include the
shell special characters *, ?, and []. Asterisk (*) and question
mark (?) will match period (.) and slash(/). Because these are shell
special characters, they must be escaped on the command line.
There are three general methods of specifying entries to the
exception list:
- To specify all files under a particular directory, specify the
directory name (and any desired subdirectories) followed by an
asterisk:
/directory/subdirectories/*
- To specify all instances of a filename regardless of its
location, specify the filename preceded by an asterisk:
*/filename
- To specify one instance of a particular file, specify the
entire pathname to the file:
/directory/subdirectories/filename
If pattern is a dash (-), standard input is read for a list of
patterns (one per line until EOF) to be added or deleted.
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Compatibility
Prior versions of the backup service created exception lists using ed
syntax. bkexcept -C provides a translation facility for exception
lists created by ed. The translation is not perfect; not all ed
patterns have equivalents in cpio. For those patterns that have no
automatic translation, an attempt at translation is made, and the
translated version is flagged with the word QUESTIONABLE. The
exception list translation is directed to standard output. Redirect
the standard output to a translation file, review the contents of the
translation file (correcting entries that were not translated
properly and deleting the QUESTIONABLE flags), and then use the
resulting file as input to a subsequent bkexcept -a. For example, if
the translated file was named checkfile the -a option would appear as
follows:
bkexcept -a - < checkfile
Options
-t file
The filename used in place of the default file.
-a pattern...
Adds pattern to the exception list where pattern is one or more
patterns (comma-separated or blank-separated and enclosed in
quotes) describing sets of paths.
-d pattern...
Displays entries in the exception list. If pattern begins with
a slash (/), -d displays all entries whose names begin with
pattern. If pattern does not begin with a slash, -d displays
all entries that include pattern anywhere in the entry. If
pattern is a dash (-), input is taken from standard input.
pattern is not a pattern -- it matches patterns. pattern a*b
matches /a*b but does not match /adb. For files containing a
carriage return, a null exception list is returned. For files
of zero length (no characters), an error is returned (search of
table failed).
The entries are displayed in ASCII collating sequence order
(special characters, numbers, then alphabetical order).
-r pattern...
Removes pattern from the exception list. pattern is one or a
list of patterns (comma-separated or blank-separated and
enclosed in quotes) describing sets of paths. pattern must be
an exact match of an entry in the exception list for pattern
to be removed. Patterns that are removed are echoed to
standard output, stdout.
-C [files]
Displays on standard output the translation of each file (a
prior version's exception list) to the new syntax. Each file
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contains ed patterns, one per line.
If file is omitted, the default UNIX exception list,
/etc/save.d/except, is translated. If file is a dash (-),
input is taken from standard input, one per line.
DIAGNOSTICS
The exit codes for the bkexcept command are the following:
0 = the task completed successfully
1 = one or more parameters to bkexcept are invalid
2 = an error has occurred, causing bkexcept to fail to
complete all portions of its task
EXAMPLES
Example 1:
bkexcept -a /tmp/*,/var/tmp/*,/usr/rje/*,*/trash,
adds the four sets of files to the exception list, (all files under
/tmp, all files under /var/tmp, all files under /usr/rje, and any
file on the system named trash).
Example 2:
bkexcept -d /tmp
displays the following patterns from those added to the exception
list in Example 1.
/tmp/*
bkexcept -d tmp
displays the following patterns from those added to the exception
list in Example 1.
/tmp/*, /var/tmp/*
displays one per line, with a heading.
Example 3:
bkexcept -r /var/tmp/*,/usr/rje/*
removes the two patterns from the exception list.
Example 4:
bkexcept -C /save.d/old.except > trans.except
translates the file /save.d/old.except from its ed format to cpio
format and sends the translations to the file trans.except. The
translations of /save.d/old.except may be added to the current
exception list by using bkexcept -a as follows:
bkexcept -a - < trans.except
FILES
/etc/bkup/bkexcept.tab
the default exception list for UNIX System V Release
4.0.
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/etc/save.d/except
the default exception list prior to UNIX System V
Release 4.0.
SEE ALSO
backup(1M), incfile(1M).
cpio(1), ed(1), sh(1) in the User's Reference Manual.
intro(2) in the Programmer's Reference Manual.
``The Backup Service''chapter in the System Administrator's Guide.
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