Bash script to backup multiple directories specified in config file - bash

Question

I'm having some difficulties with this. Basically, for work I need a bash script that backs up a variable number of directories that are stored in a config file.
I'm sure I need to import the list from the config file and just use a loop to copy all the directories across. I have it working for a single directory. My code is below. I've cut it down to a minimum.
#!/bin/sh
if [ ! -f ./backup.conf ]
then
echo "Configuration file not found. Exiting!!"
exit
fi
. ./backup.conf
unset PATH
# make sure we're running as root
if (( `$ID -u` != 0 )) ; then { $ECHO "Sorry, must be root. Exiting..."; exit; } fi ;
# attempt to remount the RW mount point as RW; else abort
$MOUNT -o remount,rw $SOURCEFILE $DESTINATIONFOLDER ;
if (( $? )); then
{
$ECHO "snapshot: could not remount $DESTINATIONFOLDER readwrite";
exit;
}
fi ;
# step 2: create new backup folder:
$MKDIR $FULLPATH
**Loop should go here**
#copy source directories to backup folder
$RSYNC \
-va --delete --delete-excluded \
--exclude-from="$EXCLUDES" \
$SOURCEFILE $FULLPATH;
The config file is as follows
SOURCE=path
DESTINATION=path2
BACKUPFOLDERNAME=/laptopBackup
My question is what is the best approach to do this task. i.e how should I format the config file to import a variable amount of paths to an array? or is there a better way of doing this?

Answer 1

I'd personally do it slightly differently and have my configuration file more of a "control file". For example:
/path /path2 /laptopBackup
/tmp /test /bigmachine
etc.. 1 line per mount, 3 fields per line (source, destination, backupfoldername)
Then use something like :
while read SOURCE DESTINATION BACKUPFOLDERNAME
do
<stuff>
done < ${configfile}
(removed the cat so as not to shame myself further :( )