Ignore a folder based on its content (e.g., folders that contain a .git)

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1

Is there a possibility to ignore a whole folder based on its contents?
I have synced my whole documents folder to owncloud, but I want to exclude all git-repositories that are scattered within the documents-folder. I know I can exclude the .git-subfolders easily, but can I also ignore the whole folder containing my working copy based on the fact that it includes a .git-subfolder?

Steps to reproduce

  1. Create a subfolder “project” in a synced folder
  2. Initialize a git-repository in that subfolder

Expected behaviour
The whole subfolder “project” does not get synced to owncloud

Actual behaviour
I can ignore the .git-folder within “project” using ignored files editor (matching “.git”), but I would have to explicitly exclude “project” if I don’t want it to get synced.

2

You can use the “Ignored Files Editor” with a star behind the directory: ownCloud Documentation Overview

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3

Thanks for the quick response. I am aware of the possibility of excluding each such directory individually, but I’d rather have one single pattern that excludes every directory that contains a file or folder with a specific name.

4

Did you try Regular Expressions like in the link above? That should include all with a specific name or something which contains the name.

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5

The way I understand the pattern matching, that wouldn’t really work. Let’s assume I have two subfolders in my synced folder: “c-project” and “matlab_code”.
Both folders are git-repositories and contain a “.git”-folder. The fnmatch-expression I can think of is:

*/.git

but this pattern matches only the “.git”-folders themselves, and neither “c-project” nor “matlab_code” is matched and thus excluded.
Maybe my understanding is wrong and there is an expression that also matches these two folders (and every other folder containing “.git”), but I have currently no idea what that expression would be (apart from explicitly excluding both folders as ignored files).

6

You can use */, if you want to match all directories. /.git matches only all .git directories.
You would be able to use "_code/", if both directories would have a end with “_code”.

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7

I know that, but it doesn’t answer my original question; can I exclude a folder based on its contents? (And not based on its name.)

8

Only so like I explained and it is described in the link.

9

I have exact the same problem. Did you find any suitable solution?

10

I’m also in a similar situation.
Ideally I’d like to ignore particular folders using say a .syncignore file in a directory, that serves as a flag.
What I have tired

*/.syncignore
.syncignore/ 
*/.syncignore/*

Haven’t been able to figure out the right ignore match for this - any pointers?

11

Please don’t revive such old topics. Just open a new one. Even if there was a correct solution for something back in the day, it might very well be outdated. — closed

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