Tar --exclude directory isn't being excluded

Question

Looks like my backup script it's excluding all the directories I've specified except for one /var/backups which contains the tar file just created with the script. What am I doing wrong?

I've already followed the suggestions in this post.

Here's my script:

tar -zcpf /var/backups/"full_system_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).tar.gz" --directory=/ --exclude=/var/backups --exclude=proc --exclude=sys --exclude=dev/pts .

Should --exclude=/var/backups really be --exclude=var/backups ? — Stephen Harris, Jun 15 '16 at 01:20
probably so. because --directory already is set to /........ let me try that and see — Kismet Agbasi, Jun 15 '16 at 01:36
@StephenHarris thanks, your suggestion was spot on. Mind answering the question so I can accept it? Or should I just go ahead and answer it myself? — Kismet Agbasi, Jun 15 '16 at 01:48

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 15 '16 at 01:57

1

The entry --exclude=/var/backups should read --exclude=var/backups to match the pattern expected by tar

answered Jun 15 '16 at 01:57

Stephen Harris

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Tar --exclude directory isn't being excluded

1 Answers1