Clarify that --exclude patterns are matched against absolute paths to f…

…ix #260.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 * Add whitelist for `socketserver.TCPServer.allow_reuse_address` (Ben Elliston)
+* Clarify that `--exclude` patterns are matched against absolute paths (Jendrik Seipp, #260).
 
 # 2.6 (2022-09-19)
 

README.md

@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ We collect whitelists for common Python modules and packages in
 
 #### Ignoring files
 
-If you want to ignore a whole file or directory, use the `--exclude`
-parameter (e.g., `--exclude *settings.py,docs/`).
+If you want to ignore a whole file or directory, use the `--exclude` parameter
+(e.g., `--exclude "*settings.py,*/docs/*.py,*/test_*.py,*/.venv/*.py"`). The
+exclude patterns are matched against absolute paths.
 
 #### Flake8 noqa comments
 
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ Example Config:
 
 ``` toml
 [tool.vulture]
-exclude = ["file*.py", "dir/"]
+exclude = ["*file*.py", "dir/"]
 ignore_decorators = ["@app.route", "@require_*"]
 ignore_names = ["visit_*", "do_*"]
 make_whitelist = true

vulture/config.py

@@ -109,9 +109,10 @@ def csv(exclude):
         metavar="PATTERNS",
         type=csv,
         default=missing,
-        help=f"Comma-separated list of paths to ignore (e.g.,"
-        f' "*settings.py,docs/*.py"). {glob_help} A PATTERN without glob'
-        f" wildcards is treated as *PATTERN*.",
+        help=f"Comma-separated list of path patterns to ignore (e.g.,"
+        f' "*settings.py,docs,*/test_*.py,venv"). {glob_help} A PATTERN without '
+        f" glob wildcards is treated as *PATTERN*. Patterns are matched"
+        f" against absolute paths.",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--ignore-decorators",

vulture/utils.py

@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ def get_decorator_name(decorator):
 def get_modules(paths):
     """Retrieve Python files to check.
 
-    Loop over all given paths, abort if any ends with .pyc and add collect
-    the other given files (even those not ending with .py) and all .py
-    files under the given directories.
+    Loop over all given paths, abort if any ends with .pyc, add the other given
+    files (even those not ending with .py) and collect all .py files under the
+    given directories.
 
     """
     modules = []