rsync - Jan 2026 - Copying one directory tree to another but exclude all top-level files

Hi.

I want to do this:

# rsync -aSPAHX --exclude \* --link-dest=/.snapshots/daily.10/ ../daily.10/ .

so that any *files* in the /.snapshots/daily.10/ directory (but not any
directories in /.snapshots/daily.10/ and directories and files below
that) are excluded?

Using the above syntax, nothing gets copied I suppose because * matches
all of the top-level directories in /.snapshots/daily.10/ also.

Cheers,
b.

It sounds like you want: --include='/*' --exclude='/*/' but I am
having
a bit of trouble understanding your goal.? You are right though that an 
exclude of * means exclude everything.

BTW, a second -v enables include/exclude debugging.

On 2026-01-30 08:23, Brian J. Murrell via rsync wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I want to do this:
>
> # rsync -aSPAHX --exclude \* --link-dest=/.snapshots/daily.10/ ../daily.10/
.
>
> so that any *files* in the /.snapshots/daily.10/ directory (but not any
> directories in /.snapshots/daily.10/ and directories and files below
> that) are excluded?
>
> Using the above syntax, nothing gets copied I suppose because * matches
> all of the top-level directories in /.snapshots/daily.10/ also.
>
> Cheers,
> b.
>