How can I exclude a Github folder from my documentation website?

[Jim Kennedy]

Using sphinx_rdt_theme from Read the Docs I have a company-private repo structure that looks something like this:

docu/source/

- lorem/

- ipsum/

- dolor/

Let's say that the content in the ipsum/ folder isn't ready for publication yet and the team are still working on it. 

So I want to push a build to the customer-facing website with an html structure that looks something like this:

docu/source/
- lorem
- dolor

The navigation and linkages to ipsum/ etc. I can eliminate easily but I want to prevent the ipsum folder and files from being published, as someone will eventually find them. How can I do that?

[Carl Gay]

It sounds like the exclude_patterns config option should work for your use case, but...be sure not to make the mistake I made, here: https://groups.google.com/g/sphinx-users/c/M7Slj3ajYjU/m/T-PDdmqmBgAJ 

exclude_patterns = ['**/ipsum']

[Jim Kennedy]

Thanks Carl! This worked for me straight out of the box, once I spotted the already existing empty exclude_patterns you mentioned..

Jim.