git-annex/doc/git-annex-matching-options.mdwn

# NAME

git-annex-matching-options - specifying files to act on

# DESCRIPTION

Many git-annex commands support using these options to specify which
files they act on.

Arbitrarily complicated expressions can be built using these options.
For example:

	--exclude '*.mp3' --and --not -( --in=usbdrive --or --in=archive -)

The above example prevents git-annex from working on mp3 files whose
file contents are present at either of two repositories.

# OPTIONS

* `--exclude=glob`

  Skips files matching the glob pattern. The glob is matched relative to
  the current directory. For example:

        	--exclude='*.mp3' --exclude='subdir/*'

  Note that this will not match anything when using --all or --unused.

* `--include=glob`

  Skips files not matching the glob pattern.  (Same as `--not --exclude`.)
  For example, to include only mp3 and ogg files:

        	--include='*.mp3' --or --include='*.ogg'

  Note that this will not skip anything when using --all or --unused.

* `--in=repository`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes have their contents present
  in a repository. Note that it does not check the repository to verify
  that it still has the content.

  The repository should be specified using the name of a configured remote,
  or the UUID or description of a repository. For the current repository,
  use `--in=here`

* `--in=repository@{date}`

  Matches files currently in the work tree whose content was present in
  the repository on the given date.

  The date is specified in the same syntax documented in
  gitrevisions(7). Note that this uses the reflog, so dates far in the
  past cannot be queried.

  For example, you might need to run `git annex drop .` to temporarily
  free up disk space. The next day, you can get back the files you dropped
  using `git annex get . --in=here@{yesterday}`

* `--copies=number`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes to have the specified number
  of copies, or more. Note that it does not check remotes to verify that
  the copies still exist.

* `--copies=trustlevel:number`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes have the specified number of
  copies, on remotes with the specified trust level. For example,
  `--copies=trusted:2`

  To match any trust level at or higher than a given level,
  use 'trustlevel+'. For example, `--copies=semitrusted+:2`

* `--copies=groupname:number`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes have the specified number of
  copies, on remotes in the specified group. For example,
  `--copies=archive:2`

* `--lackingcopies=number`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes need the specified number or 
  more additional copies to be made in order to satisfy their numcopies
  settings.

* `--approxlackingcopies=number`

  Like lackingcopies, but does not look at .gitattributes annex.numcopies
  settings. This makes it significantly faster.

* `--inbackend=name`

  Matches only files whose content is stored using the specified key-value
  backend.

* `--inallgroup=groupname`

  Matches only files that git-annex believes are present in all repositories
  in the specified group.

* `--smallerthan=size`
* `--largerthan=size`

  Matches only files whose content is smaller than, or larger than the
  specified size.

  The size can be specified with any commonly used units, for example,
  "0.5 gb" or "100 KiloBytes"

* `--metadata field=glob`

  Matches only files that have a metadata field attached with a value that
  matches the glob. The values of metadata fields are matched case
  insensitively.

* `--metadata field<number` / `--metadata field>number`
* `--metadata field<=number` / `--metadata field>=number`

  Matches only files that have a metadata field attached with a value that
  is a number and is less than or greater than the specified number.

  (Note that you will need to quote the second parameter to avoid
  the shell doing redirection.)

* `--want-get`

  Matches files that the preferred content settings for the repository
  make it want to get. Note that this will match even files that are
  already present, unless limited with e.g., `--not --in .`
  
  Note that this will not match anything when using --all or --unused.

* `--want-drop`

  Matches files that the preferred content settings for the repository
  make it want to drop. Note that this will match even files that have
  already been dropped, unless limited with e.g., `--in .`
  
  Note that this will not match anything when using --all or --unused.

* `--not`

  Inverts the next matching option. For example, to only act on
  files with less than 3 copies, use `--not --copies=3`

* `--and`

  Requires that both the previous and the next matching option matches.
  The default.

* `--or`

  Requires that either the previous, or the next matching option matches.

* `-(`

  Opens a group of matching options.

* `-)`

  Closes a group of matching options.

# SEE ALSO

[[git-annex]](1)

# AUTHOR

Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

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