🚑 critically fixed bash syntax in file + added feature of excluding directories from the backup listed in ".nobackup" file

scripts/.nobackup

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/home/isabell/.cache/
+/home/isabell/.steam/
+/home/isabell/.xsession-errors

scripts/home_backup.sh

@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 # variables
-BACKUP_PATH="/media/isabell/Elements\ SE/isabell_tuxedo/"
+BACKUP_PATH=/media/isabell/Elements\ SE/isabell_tuxedo/
-# EXCLUDED_DIRS={}
+NOBACKUP_FILE=.nobackup
 
 # backup execution
-if [[ -f $BACKUP_PATH ]] && echo "Starting rsync backup of home directory to $BACKUP_PATH"; then
+if [[ -d "$BACKUP_PATH" ]] && echo "Starting rsync backup of home directory to $BACKUP_PATH"; then
-    #if [ "$EXCLUDED_DIRS" = "" ]; then
+    if [[ -f "$NOBACKUP_FILE" ]] && echo "Found $NOBACKUP_FILE file, proceeding? (y/n)"; then
-    rsync -av --delete $HOME $BACKUP_PATH
+        read PROCEEDING
-    #fi
+        if [[ "$PROCEEDING" == "y" ]]; then
+            rsync -av --delete --filter 'dir-merge,- $NOBACKUP_FILE' "$HOME/" "$BACKUP_PATH"
+        fi
+    else 
+        echo "No $NOBACKUP_FILE found, proceeding to back-up entire home directory? (y/n)"
+        read PROCEEDING
+        if [[ "$PROCEEDING" == "y" ]]; then
+            rsync -av --delete "$HOME/" "$BACKUP_PATH"
+        fi
+    fi
 else
     echo "Device or location designated for the backup does not exist."
 fi