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32 .\" @(#)rm.1 8.5 (Berkeley) 12/5/94
41 .Nd remove directory entries
53 utility attempts to remove the non-directory type files specified on the
55 If the permissions of the file do not permit writing, and the standard
56 input device is a terminal, the user is prompted (on the standard error
57 output) for confirmation.
59 The options are as follows:
60 .Bl -tag -width indent
62 Attempt to remove directories as well as other types of files.
64 Attempt to remove the files without prompting for confirmation,
65 regardless of the file's permissions.
66 If the file does not exist, do not display a diagnostic message or modify
67 the exit status to reflect an error.
70 option overrides any previous
74 Request confirmation before attempting to remove each file, regardless of
75 the file's permissions, or whether or not the standard input device is a
79 option overrides any previous
83 Request confirmation once if more than three files are being removed or if a
84 directory is being recursively removed.
85 This is a far less intrusive option than
87 yet provides almost the same level of protection against mistakes.
89 This flag has no effect.
90 It is kept only for backwards compatibility with
93 Attempt to remove the file hierarchy rooted in each
103 option is specified, the user is prompted for confirmation before
104 each directory's contents are processed (as well as before the attempt
105 is made to remove the directory).
106 If the user does not respond affirmatively, the file hierarchy rooted in
107 that directory is skipped.
112 Be verbose when deleting files, showing them as they are removed.
114 Attempt to undelete the named files.
115 Currently, this option can only be used to recover
116 files covered by whiteouts in a union file system (see
119 When removing a hierarchy, do not cross mount points.
124 utility removes symbolic links, not the files referenced by the links.
126 It is an error to attempt to remove the files
132 When the utility is called as
135 which must not be a directory,
137 No options may be supplied in this simple mode of operation,
140 operation on the passed argument.
141 However, the usual option-end delimiter,
143 may optionally precede the argument.
147 utility exits 0 if all of the named files or file hierarchies were removed,
150 option was specified and all of the existing files or file hierarchies were
154 exits with a value >0.
160 to parse its arguments, which allows it to accept
163 option which will cause it to stop processing flag options at that
165 This will allow the removal of file names that begin
170 .Dl "rm -- -filename"
172 The same behavior can be obtained by using an absolute or relative
176 .Dl "rm /home/user/-filename"
179 Recursively remove all files contained within the
185 Any of these commands will remove the file
187 .Bd -literal -offset indent
195 utility differs from historical implementations in that the
197 option only masks attempts to remove non-existent files instead of
198 masking a large variety of errors.
201 option is non-standard and its use in scripts is not recommended.
205 implementations prompted on the standard output,
206 not the standard error output.
210 option does not have any effect as of
212 and may be removed in the future.