Use rsync to copy all files except for certain filenames with a certain extension

Question

I have two same-size flash cards, and I want to copy contents of one to the other based on the following rules:

I want all directories and subdirectories in place
I want to exclude files of type .FOO, .BAR, and .ZIM (all other files are copied)
Bonus: It'd be cool if it outputs the filenames as they are copied considering it will be copying ~8 GB of information

Could this be done with "find" somehow?

score 64 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 26 '12 at 07:06

64

This would be significantly easier using rsync with its --exclude switch.

rsync -av --exclude='*.FOO' --exclude='*.BAR' --exclude='*.ZIM' /source /dest

The -v switch will provide verbose output on which files are being synchronised.

edited Mar 26 '12 at 07:06

Peter Mortensen

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answered Feb 05 '10 at 16:18

John T

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Little follow-up here: the copy finished and /src/* is now in /dest/src/* How to use rsync to get /src/* in /dest/*? – macek Feb 05 '10 at 17:32
Try `/source/ /dest` – John T Feb 05 '10 at 17:44
This doesn't work. I am still seeing *.FOO files being copied over. – Jake Aug 26 '17 at 00:03
It is specified how you should give the path for `--exclude`. If you have problems with it, [check out this answer](https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/83403/136348). – totymedli Jan 23 '18 at 01:35

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 07 '15 at 17:57

2

If you have large number of extensions to exclude you can make a file and write down all the extension or file to exclude and use only one exclude option to make it simple.

rsync -ravz --exclude='./abc,txt' /source /dest

It is always good to use z for compression and r option if you have to copy recursively.

answered Nov 07 '15 at 17:57

amit singh

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It is not always good to use z for compression. Unless you are transferring over a network you know to be slow, compression will slow you down. Also, if you are transferring compressed files (e.g. jpeg, mp3, most video formats), or have a slow CPU, it'll just waste time. – Chris L. Barnes Dec 15 '20 at 10:50

Use rsync to copy all files except for certain filenames with a certain extension

2 Answers2