The abilty to exclude files/folders from an image seems to have gone from HDM 17.- This is a quote from one of the posts in the SUGGESTIONS section of furum.

First, where to get version HDM 17?
AND, if this is truly missing again, that is NUTS !!

PLEASE don't tell me this is missing AGAIN !!!!!!
it took me about 10 requests to support to get It FIXED in HDM 16 !!!!
I will take your comment and post it to support again !!!!

NUTSSSS !!!!

addendum - I just sent request to support
it included the following
"SEE threads 188309, 174013, 165191, 159417. These all relate to the EXCLUDE option, its benefits, and the repair of it by development !!!!_...…"
those were SOME of the threads I had sent support...