[Box Backup] Exclude lists

[Ben Summers]

On 20 Feb 2005, at 23:07, Chris Wilson wrote:

> Hi Ben and all,
>
> I have a quick question for you. In 
> boxbackup-0.09/lib/backupclient/BackupClientMakeExcludeList.h, 
> directory and file exclusions are treated in exactly the same way, So 
> backup location ExcludeFile and ExcludeDir directives end up in the 
> same list, as do Exclude(File|Dir)(sRegex)? and the corresponding 
> AlwaysInclude(File|Dir)(sRegex)?.
>
> Is there a reason for the file/directory distinction?

Yes. It's to reduce operator error by forcing you to choose the type of 
object you want to exclude. Exclusions of directories via regex cannot 
accidently match files.

>  Would it make sense to simplify the configuration syntax to eliminate 
> the distinction between files and directories?

Maybe not.

>
> I say this because I've restarted work on my cross-platform GUI for 
> Boxbackup, this time concentrating on using the existing 
> functionality, rather than extending Boxbackup to include more status 
> information. This way I can help more people sooner, without upsetting 
> you by submitting bad patches to Boxbackup :-)

Sounds a good plan!

>
> The GUI still needs a lot of work, but if anybody would like to see 
> it, then they are welcome to drop me an email. I am happy to release 
> the source under the GPL, but I would like your written permission to 
> do so, if it's not too much trouble, as it includes a copy of the 
> Boxbackup source, and relies on much of the code, and I think that I 
> may need your permission to distribute it as such.

As I understand it, I can release the source under as many licenses as 
I want. So the existence of a GPL version would not restrict my ability 
to release it under a BSD license. However, it would stop me from 
incorporating changes from the GPL version into the BSD version, which 
could lead to a situation where there is the choice of either forking 
the project or forcing me to choose a different license for the entire 
project.

It might be easier for everyone if the first stage of your build 
process extracted the necessary files from a normal unmodified release?

>
> Be warned that currently, it doesn't have much functionality. You can 
> inspect some aspects of your configuration, but not change them yet, 
> and you can see a list (tree) of files on the server, but not 
> manipulate them yet.

Getting that far means you've solved most of the problems you will face.

Thanks for writing a supporting project.

Ben