Jay wrote:
>   tar cv --exclude=/var/tmp/directory-to-exclude -f var.tar /var
>   tar cv --exclude=/var/tmp/directory-to-exclude/* -f var.tar /var

In your second example, the path is attached to the --exclude so it doesn't get 
treated like a real path by the shell ... I think this results in your * being 
expanded to the contents of the current directory or something like that.

Try putting single quotes around the *.

tar cv --exclude=/var/tmp/directory-to-exclude/'*' -f var.tar /var


Austin