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32 .\" @(#)rm.1 8.5 (Berkeley) 12/5/94
41 .Nd remove directory entries
52 utility attempts to remove the non-directory type files specified on the
54 If the permissions of the file do not permit writing, and the standard
55 input device is a terminal, the user is prompted (on the standard error
56 output) for confirmation.
58 The options are as follows:
59 .Bl -tag -width indent
61 Attempt to remove directories as well as other types of files.
63 Attempt to remove the files without prompting for confirmation,
64 regardless of the file's permissions.
65 If the file does not exist, do not display a diagnostic message or modify
66 the exit status to reflect an error.
69 option overrides any previous
73 Request confirmation before attempting to remove each file, regardless of
74 the file's permissions, or whether or not the standard input device is a
78 option overrides any previous
82 Request confirmation once if more than three files are being removed or if a
83 directory is being recursively removed.
84 This is a far less intrusive option than
86 yet provides almost the same level of protection against mistakes.
88 Overwrite regular files before deleting them.
89 Files are overwritten three times, first with the byte pattern 0xff,
90 then 0x00, and then 0xff again, before they are deleted.
91 Files with multiple links will not be overwritten nor deleted
92 and a warning will be issued.
95 option is specified, files with multiple links will also be overwritten
97 No warning will be issued.
99 Specifying this flag for a read only file will cause
101 to generate an error message and exit.
102 The file will not be removed or overwritten.
106 flag is not considered a security feature
109 Attempt to remove the file hierarchy rooted in each
119 option is specified, the user is prompted for confirmation before
120 each directory's contents are processed (as well as before the attempt
121 is made to remove the directory).
122 If the user does not respond affirmatively, the file hierarchy rooted in
123 that directory is skipped.
128 Be verbose when deleting files, showing them as they are removed.
130 Attempt to undelete the named files.
131 Currently, this option can only be used to recover
132 files covered by whiteouts in a union file system (see
135 When removing a hierarchy, do not cross mount points.
140 utility removes symbolic links, not the files referenced by the links.
142 It is an error to attempt to remove the files
148 When the utility is called as
151 which must not be a directory,
153 No options may be supplied in this simple mode of operation,
156 operation on the passed argument.
160 utility exits 0 if all of the named files or file hierarchies were removed,
163 option was specified and all of the existing files or file hierarchies were
167 exits with a value >0.
173 to parse its arguments, which allows it to accept
176 option which will cause it to stop processing flag options at that
178 This will allow the removal of file names that begin
183 .Dl "rm -- -filename"
185 The same behavior can be obtained by using an absolute or relative
189 .Dl "rm /home/user/-filename"
196 the file will be overwritten and removed even if it has hard links.
198 Recursively remove all files contained within the
204 Either of these commands will remove the file
206 .Bd -literal -offset indent
213 utility differs from historical implementations in that the
215 option only masks attempts to remove non-existent files instead of
216 masking a large variety of errors.
219 option is non-standard and its use in scripts is not recommended.
223 implementations prompted on the standard output,
224 not the standard error output.
251 option assumes that the underlying storage overwrites file blocks
252 when data is written to an existing offset.
253 Several factors including the file system and its backing store could defeat
255 This includes, but is not limited to file systems that use a
256 Copy-On-Write strategy (e.g. ZFS or UFS when snapshots are being used), Flash
257 media that are using a wear leveling algorithm, or when the backing datastore
258 does journaling, etc.
259 In addition, only regular files are overwritten, other types of files are not.