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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 unless
93 is specified, a warning is generated instead.
95 Specifying this flag for a read only file will cause
97 to generate an error message and exit.
98 The file will not be removed or overwritten.
100 Attempt to remove the file hierarchy rooted in each
110 option is specified, the user is prompted for confirmation before
111 each directory's contents are processed (as well as before the attempt
112 is made to remove the directory).
113 If the user does not respond affirmatively, the file hierarchy rooted in
114 that directory is skipped.
120 Be verbose when deleting files, showing them as they are removed.
122 Attempt to undelete the named files.
123 Currently, this option can only be used to recover
124 files covered by whiteouts in a union file system (see
130 utility removes symbolic links, not the files referenced by the links.
132 It is an error to attempt to remove the files
138 When the utility is called as
141 which must not be a directory,
143 No options may be supplied in this simple mode of operation,
146 operation on the passed argument.
150 utility exits 0 if all of the named files or file hierarchies were removed,
153 option was specified and all of the existing files or file hierarchies were
157 exits with a value >0.
163 to parse its arguments, which allows it to accept
166 option which will cause it to stop processing flag options at that
168 This will allow the removal of file names that begin
173 .Dl "rm -- -filename"
175 The same behavior can be obtained by using an absolute or relative
179 .Dl "rm /home/user/-filename"
186 the file will be overwritten and removed even if it has hard links.
190 utility differs from historical implementations in that the
192 option only masks attempts to remove non-existent files instead of
193 masking a large variety of errors.
196 option is non-standard and its use in scripts is not recommended.
200 implementations prompted on the standard output,
201 not the standard error output.
228 option assumes that the underlying file system is a fixed-block file
230 UFS is a fixed-block file system, LFS is not.
231 In addition, only regular files are overwritten, other types of files