# Transferring specific files, objects, and folders by using filters
AWS DataSync lets you apply filters to include or exclude data from your source location in a transfer. For example, if you don't want to transfer temporary files that end with `.tmp`, you can create an exclude filter so that these files don't make their way to your destination location.
You can use a combination of exclude and include filters in the same transfer task. If you modify a task's filters, those changes are applied the next time you run the task.
## Filtering terms, definitions, and syntax
Familiarize yourself with the concepts related to DataSync filtering:
**Filter **
The whole string that makes up a particular filter (for example, `*.tmp``|``*.temp` or `/folderA|/folderB`).
Filters are made up of patterns delimited by using a pipe (\$1). You don't need a delimiter when you add patterns in the DataSync console because you add each pattern separately.
Filters are case sensitive. For example, filter `/folderA` won't match `/FolderA`.
**Pattern**
A pattern within a filter. For example, `*.tmp` is a pattern that's part of the `*.tmp``|``*.temp` filter. If your filter has multiple patterns, you delimit each pattern by using a pipe (\$1).
**Folders**
+ All filters are relative to the source location path. For example, suppose that you specify `/my_source/` as the source path when you create your source location and task and specify the include filter `/transfer_this/`. In this case, DataSync transfers only the directory `/my_source/transfer_this/` and its contents.
+ To specify a folder directly under the source location, include a forward slash (/) in front of the folder name. In the example preceding, the pattern uses `/transfer_this`, not `transfer_this`.
+ DataSync interprets the following patterns the same way and matches both the folder and its content.
`/dir`
`/dir/`
+ When you are transferring data from or to an Amazon S3 bucket, DataSync treats the `/` character in the object key as the equivalent of a folder on a file system.
**Special characters**
Following are special characters for use with filtering.
[\[See the AWS documentation website for more details\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/datasync/latest/userguide/filtering.html)
## Example filters
The following examples show common filters you can use with DataSync.
**Note**
There are limits to how many characters you can use in a filter. For more information, see [DataSync quotas](datasync-limits.md#task-hard-limits).
**Exclude some folders from your source location**
In some cases, you want might exclude folders in your source location to not copy them to your destination location. For example, if you have temporary work-in-progress folders, you can use something like the following filter:
`*/.temp`
To exclude folders with similar content (such as `/reports2021` and `/reports2022)`), you can use an exclude filter like the following:
`/reports*`
To exclude folders at any level in the file hierarchy, you can use an exclude filter like the following.
`*/folder-to-exclude-1`\$1`*/folder-to-exclude-2`
To exclude folders at the top level of the source location, you can use an exclude filter like the following.
`/top-level-folder-to-exclude-1`\$1`/top-level-folder-to-exclude-2`
**Include a subset of the folders on your source location**
In some cases, your source location might be a large share and you need to transfer a subset of the folders under the root. To include specific folders, start a task execution with an include filter like the following.
`/folder-to-transfer/*`
**Exclude specific file types**
To exclude certain file types from the transfer, you can create a task execution with an exclude filter such as `*.temp`.
**Transfer individual files you specify**
To transfer a list of individual files, start a task execution with an include filter like the following: "`/folder/subfolder/file1.txt`\$1`/folder/subfolder/file2.txt`\$1`/folder/subfolder/file2.txt`"
## Creating include filters
Include filters define the files, objects, and folders that you want DataSync to transfer. You can configure include filters when you create, edit, or start a task.
DataSync scans and transfers only files and folders that match the include filters. For example, to include a subset of your source folders, you might specify `/important_folder_1`\$1`/important_folder_2`.
**Note**
Include filters support the wildcard (\$1) character only as the rightmost character in a pattern. For example, `/documents*`\$1`/code*` is supported, but `*.txt` isn't.
### Using the DataSync console
1. Open the AWS DataSync console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/datasync/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/datasync/).
1. In the left navigation pane, choose **Tasks**, and then choose **Create task**.
1. Configure your task's source and destination locations.
For more information, see [Where can I transfer my data with AWS DataSync?](working-with-locations.md)
1. For **Contents to scan**, choose **Specific files, objects, and folders**, then select **Using filters**.
1. For **Includes**, enter your filter (for example, `/important_folders` to include an important directory), then choose **Add pattern**.
1. Add other include filters as needed.
### Using the AWS CLI
When using the AWS CLI, you must use single quotation marks (`'`) around the filter and a \$1 (pipe) as a delimiter if you have more than one filter.
The following example specifies two include filters `/important_folder1` and `/important_folder2` when running the `create-task` command.
```
aws datasync create-task
--source-location-arn 'arn:aws:datasync:region:account-id:location/location-id' \
--destination-location-arn 'arn:aws:datasync:region:account-id:location/location-id' \
--includes FilterType=SIMPLE_PATTERN,Value='/important_folder1|/important_folder2'
```
## Creating exclude filters
Exclude filters define the files, objects, and folders in your source location that you don't want DataSync to transfer. You can configure these filters when you create, edit, or start a task.
**Topics**
+ [Data excluded by default](#directories-ignored-during-transfers)
### Data excluded by default
DataSync automatically excludes some data from being transferred:
+ `.snapshot` – DataSync ignores any path ending with `.snapshot`, which typically is used for point-in-time snapshots of a storage system's files or directories.
+ `/.aws-datasync` and `/.awssync` – DataSync creates these folders in your location to help facilitate your transfer.
+ `/.zfs` – You might see this folder with Amazon FSx for OpenZFS locations.
### Using the DataSync console
1. Open the AWS DataSync console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/datasync/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/datasync/).
1. In the left navigation pane, choose **Tasks**, and then choose **Create task**.
1. Configure your task's source and destination locations.
For more information, see [Where can I transfer my data with AWS DataSync?](working-with-locations.md)
1. For **Excludes**, enter your filter (for example, `*/temp` to exclude temporary folders), then choose **Add pattern**.
1. Add other exclude filters as needed.
1. If needed, add [include filters](#include-filters).
### Using the AWS CLI
When using the AWS CLI, you must use single quotation marks (`'`) around the filter and a \$1 (pipe) as a delimiter if you have more than one filter.
The following example specifies two exclude filters `*/temp` and `*/tmp` when running the `create-task` command.
```
aws datasync create-task \
--source-location-arn 'arn:aws:datasync:region:account-id:location/location-id' \
--destination-location-arn 'arn:aws:datasync:region:account-id:location/location-id' \
--excludes FilterType=SIMPLE_PATTERN,Value='*/temp|*/tmp'
```