rsync-backup.8, rsync-backup.in: Allow per-backup retention policy.

[rsync-backup] / rsync-backup.8

diff --git a/rsync-backup.8 b/rsync-backup.8
index 20682ea90488481f467f7f5e2ebff75c5ad40e27..4ba59527a13d1f0bb26d88ad210c0406abe1f155 100644 (file)
--- a/rsync-backup.8
+++ b/rsync-backup.8
@@ -156,7 +156,10 @@ will avoid inefficient and pointless messing about
 in this case.
 This command clears the
 .B like
-list.
+list, and resets the retention policy to its default (i.e., the to
+policy defined prior to the first
+.B host
+command).
 .TP
 .BI "like " "host\fR ..."
 Declare that subsequent filesystems are `similar' to like-named
@@ -197,6 +200,30 @@ or
 Expiry considers each existing dump against the policy lines in order:
 the last applicable line determines the dump's fate \(en so you should
 probably write the lines in decreasing order of duration.
+.PP
+Groups of
+.B retain
+commands between
+.B host
+and/or
+.B backup
+commands collectively define a retention policy.  Once a policy is
+defined, subsequent
+.B backup
+operations use the policy.  The first
+.B retain
+command after a
+.B host
+or
+.B backup
+command clears the policy and starts defining a new one.  The policy
+defined before the first
+.B host
+is the
+.I default
+policy: at the start of each
+.B host
+stanza, the policy is reset to the default.
 .TP
 .BI "retry " count
 The