exclude a directory using tar command

[Ng Pea Har]

How can I exclude a directory when using tar command?

[Thierry Poels_1]

Not possible.
Tar does not have this functionality. You might want to have a look at fbackup which allows you to include & exclude directory paths.
good luck,
Thierry.

[Ng Pea Har]

I need to make a tar file at the same time exclude a directory from it. How can I make use of find . -depth -print | grep -v with tar to exclude the directory that I do not want?

[Stefan Farrelly]

You need to download and install gnu tar (gtar) from HP's software porting centre. It allows you to exclude directories. We use it and it works fine.

http://hpux.connect.org.uk/hppd/hpux/Gnu/tar-1.13.18/

[Carlos Fernandez Riera]

or try pax...

[Thierry Poels_1]

hi,
standard tar cannot cope with this.
You will have to look at other options like other also mentionned : gnu tar, pax, fbackup, cpio, ...
regards,
Thierry.

[Vincenzo Restuccia]

Not possible!

[Ng Pea Har]

How can I use pax to exclude a directory?

[Thierry Poels_1]

find /dir | grep -v ignoredir | pax -w -v > /dev/rmt/0m
(customize to your needs)

[Davide Depaoli · Accepted solution]

move into directory you want to backup
cd /dir

list all files and subdirs into a list file
ls -1 > tar_list

edit tar_list and remove directory/files you don't want to backup
vi tar_list
delete undesired entries

make a tar backup
tar cv `cat tar_list`

It's work !

regards Davide