Question

I’d like to copy files and subdirectories using Ant from a single subdirectory without copying the rest of the directory structure and contents. For example, I’d like to copy dir_3, its files (file_1 to file_n) and subdirectories (dir_4 and dir_5), but not dir_1 nor dir_2. Is there a pattern that I can use to do this?

temp
   \--dir_1
   \--dir_2
       |
       \--dir_3
           |
           \--dir_4
           \--dir_5
           \-- file_1
           |
           \--file_n

Thanks.

Answer 1

<copy todir="${copy.dir}">
     <fileset dir="temp">
         <include name="**/dir3/**"/>
     </fileset>
</copy>

When you use the include directive, it will only include the files that match the pattern you give it. In this case, I’m copying only those files that have /dir3/ somewhere in their full path name. This includes sub-directories under dir3 and all files under dir3.

You can use the exclude directive to override the include directives:

<copy todir="${copy.dir}">
     <fileset dir="temp">
         <include name="**/dir3/**"/>
         <exclude name="**/dir3/*"/>
     </fileset>
</copy>

This will copy all sub-directories and files in those sub directories, but not the files under dir3 itself. The * matches all files in the directory while ** matches the all the files in the entire directory tree.

Notice this will create a directory temp/dir2/dir3. If I want temp/dir3, I have to set my fileset to the parent directory of dir3:

<copy todir="${copy.dir}">
     <fileset dir="temp/dir2">
         <include name="dir3/**"/>
     </fileset>
</copy>

Doing this:

<copy todir="${copy.dir}">
     <fileset dir="temp/dir2/dir3"/>
</copy>

Will create a directory temp with all the files directly under dir3 directly under temp. There will also be a temp/dir4 and temp/dir5 directory containing all the files (and directory trees) under those directories.