diff --git a/backup-everything.sh b/backup-everything.sh
index ef26835..aa3309c 100755
--- a/backup-everything.sh
+++ b/backup-everything.sh
@@ -1,394 +1,481 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 ###
 # Stupid script to backup some stuff
 #
 # Author: Valerio B.
 # Date:   Wed 25 Mar 2020
 ##
 
 # try to proceed even in case of errors
 # set -e
 
 # current directory
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 if [[ ! -d "$DIR" ]]; then
 	DIR="$PWD";
 fi
 
 # path to the instructions file
 INSTRUCTIONS="$DIR/backup-instructions.conf"
 
 # path to the configuration file
 CONFIG="$DIR/options.conf"
 
 # no config no party
 if [ ! -f $CONFIG ]; then
 	echo "missing options expected in $CONFIG"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
 # no instructions no party
 if [ ! -f $INSTRUCTIONS ]; then
 	echo "missing instructions expected in $INSTRUCTIONS"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
 # default mysql commands
 MYSQL="mysql"
 MYSQLDUMP="mysqldump"
 
 # default rsync command
 # --archive:       Try to keep all the properties
 # --fuzzy:         Try to check if a file was renamed instead of delete and download a new one
 #                    It's efficient for example with log rotated files.
 # --delete:        Delete the destination files if not present in the source
 #                    NOTE: we want this behaviour but it's not a good idea toghether with --fuzzy
 #                          that's why we do not use --delete but we use the next flags
 # --delay-updates  Put all updated files into place at end (useful with fuzzy and delete modes)
 # --delete-delay   Delete after everything (useful with fuzzy and delete modes)
 RSYNC="rsync --archive --fuzzy --delay-updates --delete-delay"
 
 # default base backup directory for all backups
 BASE="/home/backups"
 
 # default box name
 BOX="$(hostname)"
 
 # set to 1 to avoid any disservice (e.g. systemctl stop/start)
 NO_DISSERVICE=
 
 # set to 1 to do nothing
 PORCELAIN=
 
 # include the configuration to eventually override some options
 . "$CONFIG"
 
 # full pathnames to the backup directories
 BASEBOX="$BASE/$BOX"
 DAILY="$BASEBOX/daily"
 DAILY_FILES="$DAILY/files"
 DAILY_DATABASES="$DAILY/databases"
 DAILY_LASTLOG="$DAILY/last.log"
 
 # apply the porcelain to the rsync command
 if [ "$PORCELAIN" = 1 ]; then
 	RSYNC="$RSYNC --dry-run"
 fi
 
 ###
 # Print something
 #
 # It also put the message in the backup directory
 #
 # @param string severity
 # @param string message
 #
 function printthis() {
 
 	local msg="[$(date)][$1] $2"
 
 	# print to standard output
 	echo "$msg"
 
 	# put in the log file if possible
 	if [ -f "$DAILY_LASTLOG" ]; then
 		echo "$msg" >> "$DAILY_LASTLOG"
 	fi
 }
 
 ###
 # Print a information message
 #
 # @param msg Message
 #
 function log() {
 	printthis INFO "$1"
 }
 
 ###
 # Print an error message
 #
 # @param msg Message
 #
 function error() {
 	printthis ERROR "$1"
 }
 
 ###
 # Print a warning message
 #
 # @param msg Message
 #
 function warn() {
 	printthis WARN "$1"
 }
 
 ###
 # Create a directory with safe permissions if it does not exist
 #
-# @param string Directory pathname
+# @param string path         Pathname
+# @param int    is_file_mode Check if we are in file mode (default: directory mode)
 #
 write_safe_dir_if_unexisting() {
-	local dir="$1"
+
+	local path="$1"
+
+	local is_file_mode="$2"
 
 	# try to create the directory if it does not exists
-	if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
+	if [ ! -d "$path" ]; then
 
-		warn "creating missing $dir with 750"
-		mkdir --parents "$dir"
-		chmod 750       "$dir"
+		warn "creating missing $path with 750"
+		mkdir --parents "$path"
+		chmod 750       "$path"
 	fi
 
 	# it must exists now
-	require_existing_dir "$dir"
+	require_existing_dir "$path"
+}
+
+###
+# Create a directory for a filename with safe permissions if it does not exist
+#
+# @param string path         Pathname to a filename
+# @param int    is_file_mode Check if we are in file mode (default: directory mode)
+#
+write_safe_basedir_if_unexisting() {
+
+	# first function argument
+	local path="$1"
+
+	# extract just the sub-directory
+	local basepath=$(dirname "$path")
+
+	# create that sub-directory
+	write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$basepath"
 }
 
 ###
 # Require an existing directory or die
 #
 # @param string Directory path
 #
 require_existing_dir() {
 	if [ ! -d "$1" ]; then
 		error "unexisting directory $1"
 		exit 1
 	fi
 }
 
 # create these pathnames if they do not exist
 write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$DAILY"
 write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$DAILY_FILES"
 write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$DAILY_DATABASES"
 
 # create or clean the last log file
 cat /dev/null > "$DAILY_LASTLOG"
 
 #
 # Dump and compress a database
 #
 # @param db     string Database name
 # @param spaces string Cosmetic spaces
 #
 backup_database() {
 	local db="$1"
 	local spaces="$2"
 	local path="$DAILY_DATABASES"/"$db".sql.gz
 
 	log "$spaces""dumping database $db"
 
 	# no database no party
 	if ! $MYSQL "$db" -e exit > /dev/null 2>&1; then
 		warn "$spaces  skip unexisting database"
 		return
 	fi
 
 	if [ "$PORCELAIN" != 1 ]; then
 		$MYSQLDUMP "$db" | gzip > "$path"
 	fi
 }
 
 #
 # Dump and compress some databases
 #
 # @param database... string Database names
 #
 backup_databases() {
 	for database in $@; do
 		backup_database "$database"
 	done
 }
 
 #
 # Dump some databases with a shared prefix
 #
 # @param prefix string Database prefix
 # @param spaces string Cosmetic spaces
 #
 backup_databases_prefixed() {
 	local prefix="$1"
 	local spaces="$2"
 
 	log "$spaces""backup all databases prefixed with: $prefix"
 
 	databases=$($MYSQL -e 'SHOW DATABASES' | grep "$prefix")
 	for database in $databases; do
 		backup_database "$database" "$spaces  "
 	done
 }
 
 #
 # Backup a database that is used by a service
 #
 # The service will be stopped before dumping.
 #
 # @param service string Systemd unit file
 # @param db      string Database name
 #
 backup_service_and_database() {
 	local service="$1"
 	local db="$2"
 	local is_active=
 
 	log "start backup service '$service' with database '$db'"
 
 	# check if the service is running
 	if systemctl is-active "$service" > /dev/null; then
 		is_active=1
 	fi
 
 	# eventually stop the service
 	if [ $is_active == 1 ]; then
 		if [ "$NO_DISSERVICE" == 1 ]; then
 			warn "  NOT stopping service: $service (to avoid any disservice)"
 		else
 			log  "  stopping service: $service"
 
 			if [ "$PORCELAIN" != 1 ]; then
 				systemctl stop "$service"
 			fi
 		fi
 	else
 		log "  service already inactive: $service"
 	fi
 
 	# backup the database now that the service is down
 	backup_database "$db" "  "
 
 	# eventually start again the service
 	if [ $is_active == 1 ]; then
 		if [ "$NO_DISSERVICE" == 1 ]; then
 			warn "  NOT starting again service: $service (to avoid any disservice)"
 		else
 			log "  starting again service: $service"
 
 			if [ "$PORCELAIN" != 1 ]; then
 				systemctl start "$service"
 			fi
 		fi
 	fi
 }
 
 #
 # Backup some databases used by a service
 #
 # The service will be stopped before dumping the databases
 #
 # @param service string Systemd unit file
 # @param db...   string Database names
 #
 backup_service_and_databases() {
 	backup_service_and_database $@
 }
 
 #
 # Backup phabricator
 #
 # @param path     string Phabricator webroot
 # @param dbprefix string Database prefix
 #
 backup_phabricator() {
 	local path="$1"
 	local dbprefix="$2"
 	local configset="$path"/bin/config
 
 	log "backup Phabricator databases"
 
 	log "  set Phabricator read only mode (and wait some time to make it effective)"
 	$configset set cluster.read-only true > /dev/null
 	sleep 5
 
 	backup_databases_prefixed "$dbprefix" "    "
 
 	log "  revert Phabricator read only mode"
 	$configset set cluster.read-only false > /dev/null
 }
 
 #
-# Backup a pathname
+# Backup a directory or a filename
 #
 # @param path       string Pathname to be backupped
 # @param identifier string Optional identifier of this pathname
 #
 backup_path() {
 	local path="$1"
 	local identifier="$2"
 
 	# create a default identifier
 	if [ -z "$identifier" ]; then
 		identifier="$path"
 	fi
 
 	# destination directory
 	# note that the identifier may start with a slash but this is good, just don't care
 	dest="$DAILY_FILES/$identifier"
 
 	# tell were the backup will go
 	if [ "$path" = "$identifier" ]; then
 		log "backup $path"
 	else
  		log "backup $path with identifier $identifier"
 	fi
 
 	# check if the path exists
 	if [ -e "$path" ]; then
 
-		# eventually create the destination if it does not exist
-		mkdir --parents "$dest"
+		# check if it's a directory
+		if [ -d "$path" ]; then
+
+			# this is a directory
+
+			# eventually create the destination if it does not exist
+			write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$dest"
+
+			# backup this
+			# force the source to end with a slash in order to copy the files inside the directory
+			$RSYNC "$path/" "$dest"
+		else
+
+			# this is a filename
 
-		# backup this
-		# force the source to end with a slash in order to copy the files inside the directory
-		$RSYNC "$path/" "$dest"
+			# eventually create the base destination if it does not exist
+			write_safe_basedir_if_unexisting "$dest"
+
+			# backup this filename
+			$RSYNC "$path" "$dest"
+		fi
 	else
 
 		# no path no party
 		warn "  path not found: $path"
 	fi
 }
 
 ##
-# Backup another host via rsync
+# Validate the backup host arguments
 #
-# @param string Rsync host
-# @param string Rsync path
 #
-backup_host() {
+validate_backup_host_args() {
 
 	# function parameters
 	local hostlink="$1"
 	local identifier="$2"
 	local port="$3"
 
 	# no host no party
 	if [ -z "$hostlink" ] || [ -z "$identifier" ]; then
 		error "Bad usage: backup_host REMOTE_HOST:REMOTE_PATH IDENTIFIER [PORT]"
 		exit 1
 	fi
 
-	# eventually set default rsync port
-	if [ -z "$port" ]; then
-		port=22
-	fi
-
 	# tell what we will do
 	if [ "$port" = "22" ]; then
 		log "backup $hostlink in $identifier"
 	else
 		log "backup $hostlink (:$port) in $identifier"
 	fi
+}
+
+##
+# Backup another host directory via rsync
+#
+# @param string Rsync host
+# @param string Rsync path to a directory
+#
+backup_host_dir() {
+
+	# function parameters
+	local hostlink="$1"
+	local identifier="$2"
+	local port="$3"
+
+	# eventually set default rsync port
+	if [ -z "$port" ]; then
+		port=22
+	fi
+
+	# validate the arguments
+	validate_backup_host_args "$hostlink" "$identifier" "$port"
 
 	# destination path
-	dest="$BASE/$identifier"
+	local dest="$BASE/$identifier"
 
 	# create the destination if it does not exist
 	write_safe_dir_if_unexisting "$dest"
 
 	# backup everything
 	# force the source to end with a slash to just copy the files inside it
 	$RSYNC --compress --rsh="ssh -p $port" "$hostlink/" "$dest"
 }
 
+##
+# Backup another host file via rsync
+#
+# @param string hostlink   Rsync source host and pathname e.g. ravotti94:/tmp/asd.txt
+# @param string identifier Rsync destination directory
+#
+backup_host_file() {
+
+	# function parameters
+	local hostlink="$1"
+	local identifier="$2"
+	local port="$3"
+
+	# filename
+	local filename=$(basename "$hostlink")
+
+	# eventually set default rsync port
+	if [ -z "$port" ]; then
+		port=22
+	fi
+
+	# validate the arguments
+	validate_backup_host_args "$hostlink" "$identifier" "$port"
+
+	# destination path
+	local dest="$BASE/$identifier/$filename"
+
+	# create the destination directory if it does not exist
+	write_safe_basedir_if_unexisting "$dest"
+
+	# backup everything
+	# force the source to end with a slash to just copy the files inside it
+	$RSYNC --compress --rsh="ssh -p $port" "$hostlink" "$dest"
+}
+
 log "init backup in $DAILY"
 
 . "$INSTRUCTIONS"
 
 log "backup successfully concluded"
diff --git a/backup-instructions-example.conf b/backup-instructions-example.conf
index 74d74cb..a53db8c 100644
--- a/backup-instructions-example.conf
+++ b/backup-instructions-example.conf
@@ -1,22 +1,25 @@
 ################################################################
 # Put there your stuff to be backupped
 #
 # Notes:
 # Use the 'backup-instructions-example.conf' file to create an
 #         'backup-instructions.conf' file.
 ################################################################
 
 # backup server configurations
 backup_path /etc
 
 # backup logs
 backup_path /var/log
 
 # backup crontab etc.
 backup_path /var/spool
 
 # backup a single database
 #backup_database DATABASE_NAME
 
 # backup an host reachable via ssh
-#backup_host 127.1.2.3:/home mega-server-stuff
+#backup_host_dir  127.1.2.3:/home         mega-server-stuff/home
+
+# backup an host reachable via ssh
+#backup_host_file 127.1.2.3:/tmp/file.war mega-server-stuff/wars