Ignore all files in the root, except for individual files, directories

Question

I assumed this is a trick:

* !/dir1/ !/dir2/ !/file1 !/file2 

But, to my surprise, this did not happen. This seems to work if I precede a slash in front of an asterisk. But I do not understand why it does not work before this change. Can anyone point out?

Answer 1

To use negative patterns ! in .gitignore , just remember 2 rules.

Rule 1. Files and directories are separated from each other in templates. To include a reverse directory does not mean that its child files / directories are also included back.

those. The goal is to exclude all files / directories except everything that is inside /dir1 . Below does NOT work.

 # CANNOT work * !/dir1/ 

Why? The reason is only in the first rule. Although the dir1 directory is included again, but not all of its child files / directories. And just including a directory without its children does not mean git, since git will not track empty folders.

For comparison:

 # works /* !/dir1/ 

Why? Since /* matches only files / directories in the root directory directly, but does not ignore files / directories under subdirectories like dir1 here. After !/dir1/ includes dir1 back, all of its child files / directories are correct.

Someone might ask, if so, why the following does not work, since !/dir1/** will include all the dir1 child files / directories back?

 # CANNOT work * !/dir1/** 

The reason is in rule 2.

Rule 2. It will not include files / directories if their parent directory is still ignored. For this rule, please read my answer to the SO question .

This is why previous templates will not work. And if we add another negation pattern to include the parent directory dir1 back, it works.

 # works * !/dir1/ !/dir1/** 

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Having understood the 2 rules, the solutions for the OP case are quite simple.

The following work.

 /* !/dir1/ !/dir2/ !/file1 !/file2 

And the following also works.

 * !/dir1/ !/dir1/** !/dir2/ !/dir2/** !/file1 !/file2 

To make it simple as follows.

 * !*/ !/dir1/** !/dir2/** !/file1 !/file2