[rdiff-backup-users] Removing a file or directory

[David Hiltz]

  I would like to be able to remove all references to a directory or file
  from a rdiff-backup directory as if the directory/file never existed to
  save disk space.

  Example:

    I backup a filesystem called "/mystuff" and under this directory is a
    subdirectory called "xyz".  I remove "xyz" from under /mystuff and it
    now, as expected, disappears from my backup the next time I run
    rdiff-backup.  However, under rdiff-backup-data/increments there are
    references to this directory still using disk space.  I know these
    references are there so I can restore my "xyz" directory, but I don't
    ever want to restore it, I just want the disk space back.

    It would make sense that these references would need to be removed as
    well as references in the mirror_metadata* files.  Is this correct?

  Has somebody already written a script to do this?
  
  Thanks

  David Hiltz