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. 

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 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. 

/etc/save.d/except the default exception list for pre-UNIX System V Release 4. 

SEE ALSO

backup(1M), cpio(1), ed(1), incfile(1M), sh(1), intro(2). 

  —  System Administration Utilities