Ignoring Files and Folders during Deliveries

You can exclude specific files, folders, and file types from deliveries, for example:

To exclude items you define ignore rules in a .dmignore file. Each location (a folder or directory) has a single .dmignore file but you can have multiple ignore files across a hierarchy of folders. You can also apply ignore rules recursively, for example, you can ignore all *.tmp files in the current folder and all child folders.

Rules are color coded when you edit them using the Dimensions CM context menu Ignore Rules option:

You can edit ignore rules in any text editor but they are not color coded.

NOTE  

Ignore Rules

Use the following rules to ignore uncontrolled files and folders:

Ignores a specific folder, for example, to ignore the folder foo:

foo

Ignores a specific file, for example, to ignore the file f.tmp:

f.tmp

Ignores all files with a specific extension, for example, to ignore files with the extension .tmp:

*.tmp

Recursively ignores all files with a specific extension starting from the location of the current dmignore file. For example, to recursively ignore all *.tmp files in the current folder and all child folders:

r:*.tmp

Recursively ignores a specific file or folder. For example, to ignore all Debug folders in the work area hierarchy, add the following rule to a .dmignore file in the work area root:

r:Debug

Start a line with a colon (:) to add a comment, for example:

:This is a comment that does not affect the ignore rules

You can also add an inline comment after a rule by prefixing it with a colon, for example:

r:Debug :My comment about this rule

Clears all recursive rules inherited from parent .dmignore files. For example, if a parent ignore file includes:

r:*.xml

and you add c: to the current ignore file, then all .xml files in the current folder, and its child folders, are not ignored.

r:*.pk?

Ignoring File and Folders

 

  1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder where you want to ignore files and/or folders.

  2. Select one or more items.

  3. Right-click, select Dimensions | Ignore Rules, and select one of these options:

Ignores a specific file or folder.

Ignores a specific file or folder recursively.

Ignores all selected files and folders.

Ignores all selected files and folders recursively.

Ignores all the selected file types.

Ignores all the selected file types recursively.

The appropriate ignore rules are added to the .dmignore file and you do not need to add them manually.

Editing Ignore Rules

 

  1. In Windows Explorer, select the folder where you want to edit ignore rules.

  2. Right-click, select Dimensions | Ignore Rules, and select Edit .dmignore.

  3. Add and modify ignore rules.

NOTE  If the Windows Explorer Dimensions CM integration is not installed, to add and edit ignore rules create a file called .dmignore. The file must have a leading and trailing dot (.).

Canceling Recursive Ignore Rules

 

  1. In Windows Explorer, select the folder where you want to cancel all recursive ignore rules inherited from parent ignore files.

  2. Right-click, select Dimensions | Ignore Rules, and select Edit .dmignore.

  3. Enter c: