> Now, if I put Exclude "?:*" at the top of this list, no other files on
> the disk are backed up but the directory structure is. Not terrible from
> a space standpoint but could be pretty confusing for a user trying to
> restore something. If, however I make the top (last) statement
> Exclude.dir "?:*" then nothing but files at the root of C: are backup up
> !? In other words it overrides all the include statements below it,
> what's up with that?
Jim - Tivoli has failed us on this one. I just stumbled upon
a documentation APAR that clears up this mystery...
------------
APAR NUMBER: IC25492 RESOLVED AS: DOCUMENTATION ERROR
ABSTRACT:
IC25492: PRIORITY OF EXCLUDE.DIR IN INCLEXCL IS NOT WELL DESCRIBED IN
DOCUMENTATION.
ORIGINATING DETAILS:
If the EXCLUDE.DIR is specified in DSM.OPT, it has the highest
priority. All other specified includes/excludes were processed
later.
This behaviour of the EXCLUDE.DIR does not depend on the
position of this statement in the incl/excl list.
The documentation says:
These options (include, exclude and exclude.dir) are checked
from the bottom of the include-exclude list up, until a match
is found.
LOCAL FIX AS REPORTED BY ORIGINATOR:
RESPONDER SUMMARY:
****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED: TSM Windows Client*
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The processing priority of an *
* exclude.dir statement within an include-exclude list is not*
* documented in the book.*
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION: Add documentation describing the processing*
* priority of an exclude.dir statement within an*
* include-exclude list.*
****************************************************************
*
RESPONDER CONCLUSION:
The following text was added to TSM Windows
Client book: "Options are checked from the bottom of the list
up, until a match is found. However, an exclude.dir statement
takes precedence over other include-exclude statements.
------------
The worst part is that despite this APAR being more than a year old, the
specified text is still not in the TSM Windows Client book - or any other
client book!
The Include-Exclude options are the single, worst, nightmarish part of the TSM
product, and have been for years - now made worse by inconsistencies in the
once-rigorous rule of "bottom-up" processing, as EXCLUDE.DIR and EXCLUDE.FS
take precedence over all other Include/Exclude statements regardless of
position. This whole area is in serious need of a full, complete overhaul -
and cohesive, understandable documentation, with comprehensive examples. What
is inflicted on customers now is abominable in its lack of logical consistency
and understandable interrelationships. Tivoli needs to finally appreciate
that many, many hours of customer time are being wasted struggling with the
Include/Exclude options, thanks to design and documentation problems.
Richard Sims, BU
