How to add specific hidden directories to search paths?

[slafs]

I really like ripgrep. I like ripgrep default rules for ignoring files. In general I think it's a sane default to ignore hidden files and directories. Is there any way to include some hidden directories (or files) to be searched and still preserve the behaviour of not searching in "other" hidden directories/file (i.e. without enabling the --hidden option).

I'd like to put some paths in my config file to be always searched, but still skip searching some large hidden directories (e.g. .git). This would be useful when one has important stuff in CI directories in the repo (which normally are hidden dirs). E.g.

# Always look into those directories:
--glob-add-even-if-hidden-option
.circleci/**

I noticed that using --glob doesn't work here as it (a) doesn't extend the search paths, but narrows them down to the stuff you put in the value/regex and (b) still needs the --hidden option to work.

[BurntSushi]

Yup! All you need to do is whitelist the file in an .ignore file:

$ echo test > foo

$ echo test > .bar

$ rg test
foo
1:test

$ echo '!.bar' > .ignore

$ rg test
foo
1:test

.bar
1:test

[slafs]

Hmmm, seems to be working for files but not directories? 🤔

$ echo '!.baz/**' >> .ignore

$ mkdir .baz

$ echo test > ./.baz/foo

$ rg test
foo
1:test

.bar
1:test

[BurntSushi]

I guess .baz/** matches everything inside of .baz but not .baz itself. But you don't need to whitelist everything inside of .baz, just .baz itself since that's what's hidden:

$ echo '!.baz/' >> .ignore

$ rg test
foo
1:test

.bar
1:test

.baz/foo
1:test

[slafs]

Ah! Perfect! Thanks!