Keep files from syncing to the DataHUB

In this guide we show you how to keep files from syncing to the DataHUB. This can help to keep large intermediate, sensitive or unpublished data from uploading to the DataHUB.

⚠️ This guide presents an interim solution. We are working on a more user-friendly implementation.

☑️ You have created an ARC before using the ARC Commander
☑️ The latest version of the ARC Commander is installed on your computer
☑️ You have a DataPLANT account
☑️ Your computer is linked to the DataHUB via personal access token

Every ARC comes with a special file called .gitignore, that resides in the root of your ARC. Files and folders listed in your ARC's .gitignore will be ignored by the ARC's version control system. That means changes to those files will not be tracked by the ARC Commander nor will the files be synced to the DataHUB.

💡 If .gitignore does not exist in your ARC, you can simply create it in your ARC's root using a text editor.

💡 By default, this file is hidden from your File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).

💡 Since files added to .gitignore on one machine will not be synced to the DataHUB, they will also not automatically become available on another machine, where you work with your ARC.

⚠️ If a file in your ARC was already synced to the DataHUB, adding it to .gitignore will only keep it from future syncs, it will however not remove the existing file.

1. Open your ARC in your File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS)
2. Add a new file my-personal-notes.txt or folder intermediate-results to the ARC
3. Open .gitignore in a text editor.
   1. Add a new line my-personal-notes.txt or intermediate-results/ at the end of the file
   2. Save and close the file.
4. Sync the ARC via arc sync
5. Check your ARC in the DataHUB, to see that the file my-personal-notes.txt or folder intermediate-results/ does not exist there.

If at some point you want the ignored file or folder to sync, you can simply remove the respective line from your ARC's .gitignore file.

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