dave@arnold.UUCP (Dave Arnold) (01/30/89)
erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu) writes: > > I've created, in my home directory, a file by the name of: > -ef mv \-ef Xef rm Xef -- Dave Arnold ...!uunet!ccicpg!arnold!dave Volt Delta Resources Phone: (714) 921-7635
scott@keysec.UUCP (Scott Bartram) (01/30/89)
Having run up against this problem on various occasions, I can offer several
solutions:
First, find the real name of the file:
1. use "ls -b" to display non-printing chars in octal, or if this fails
2. type "od -c . | more". This will display the current directory (including
removed files). It will look something like this:
0000000 004 271 . \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0
0000020 001 023 . . \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0
0000040 004 302 . p r o f i l e \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0
0000060 003 ; . o l d n e w s r c \0 \0 \0 \0
0000100 000 000 . r n h e a d \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0 \0
Lines with "000 000" are deleted files.
So now you should know the actual file name.
Second, remove the file:
1. try using "echo":
rm `echo "foo\007bar"`
2. write a simple C program:
main()
{
unlink("foo\377bar");
}
-scott
--
=============================================================
Scott Bartram Key Systems Engineering
VOICE: +1 301 731 7310 4404 Cavalcade Ct.
EMAIL: uunet!keysec!scott Burtonsville, MD 20866jbm@uncle.UUCP (John B. Milton) (01/30/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes:
[ made a filed name -ef, can't remove it]
rm, like most utilities uses getopt(3) to get the switches from the command
line. A quick look at the man page will give youyour answer. If you put an
option "--" on the command line, getopt will stop looking at switches.
What you want is:
rm -- -ef
Ouch, too simple. The -- feature is very valuable with grep:
grep -- -rf script
John
--
John Bly Milton IV, jbm@uncle.UUCP, n8emr!uncle!jbm@osu-cis.cis.ohio-state.edu
(614) h:294-4823, w:764-2933; Got any good 74LS503 circuits?pfales@ttrde.UUCP (Peter Fales) (01/30/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP>, erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu) writes: > Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, > a file by the name of: > -ef It was almost a religious experience when I found a general solution to this kind of problem: 1) ls -i (to get the inode number of the file. Call it N) 2) find . -inum N -print -exec rm {} \; It works on every problem I have had: names with spaces, names with my KILL or INTR characters, names starting with '-', etc. Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary. -- Peter Fales AT&T, Room 2F-217 200 Park Plaza UUCP: ...att!ttrde!pfales Naperville, IL 60566 Domain: pfales@ttrde.att.com work: (312) 416-5357
lenny@icus.islp.ny.us (Lenny Tropiano) (01/30/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: |> |>Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, |>a file by the name of: |>-ef |> |>None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * |> |>The error returned? |> |>rm: illegal option -- e |>usage: rm [-fir] file ... |> |>Any hints/suggestions? Yeah, I do ... :-) Rename the file with "mv(1)", since that doesn't have any argument switches, it won't complain about the "-ef", then remove it. $ mv -ef junk $ rm junk -Lenny -- Lenny Tropiano ICUS Software Systems [w] +1 (516) 582-5525 lenny@icus.islp.ny.us Telex; 154232428 ICUS [h] +1 (516) 968-8576 {talcott,decuac,boulder,hombre,pacbell,sbcs}!icus!lenny attmail!icus!lenny ICUS Software Systems -- PO Box 1; Islip Terrace, NY 11752
mvadh@cbnews.ATT.COM (andrew.d.hay) (01/30/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes:
"Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory,
"a file by the name of:
"-ef
try moving it to an innocuous name, like fubar (;^>)
--
Andrew Hay +------------------------------------------------------+
Apprentice Polymath | Yes, the wages of sin ARE death, but after they take |
AT&T-BL Ward Hill MA | taxes out, it's kind of a tired feeling really |
mvuxq.att.com!adh +------------------------------------------------------+john@polyof.UUCP ( John Buck ) (01/30/89)
In article <589@icus.islp.ny.us>, lenny@icus.islp.ny.us (Lenny Tropiano) writes: > In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: > |>a file by the name of: > |>-ef > |>None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * > |>Any hints/suggestions? > $ mv -ef junk > $ rm junk Fastest way: $ rm x -ef rm: x nonexistant (or some such) $ ... but -ef is removed... john@polyof.poly.edu
norm@oglvee.UUCP (Norman Joseph) (01/30/89)
From article <695@flatline.UUCP>, by erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu): > > Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, > a file by the name of: > -ef > > None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * > > Any hints/suggestions? Two hints: 1) ls -i 2) find . -inum <n> -exec rm -i {} \; (Caveat: I don't own or use a unix-pc, so I'm only guessing that these commands with these options are available to you) -- Norm Joseph - Oglevee Computer System, Inc. UUCP: ...!{pitt,cgh}!amanue!oglvee!norm "Mate, that parrot wouldn't *VROOM* if you put four million volts through it!"
bamford@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Harold E. Bamford) (01/31/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: >Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, >a file by the name of: >-ef >None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * Try: mv -ef x rm x Welcome to the club...
jeffj@pedsga.UUCP (01/31/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: |>Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, |>a file by the name of: |>-ef |>rm: illegal option -- e |>usage: rm [-fir] file ... The recent versions of rm (and all programs that take options) use getopt(3) to parse the argument line. Both the SVID and the programmer's manual mention that `--' is used to terminate options to allow arguments beginning with `-', so rm -- -ef should work. If my suggestion was taken, the SVR4.0 manual should have this as an example in the rm(1) man page.
res@cbnews.ATT.COM (Robert E. Stampfli) (01/31/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: >Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, >a file by the name of: >-ef >None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * How about: rm ./-ef Rob Stampfli att!cbnews!res (work) osu-cis!n8emr!kd8wk!res (home)
ekrell@hector.UUCP (Eduardo Krell) (01/31/89)
Files with names starting with "-" can be removed by "rm ./-whatever"
(like "rm ./-ef").
Eduardo Krell AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ
UUCP: {att,decvax,ucbvax}!ulysses!ekrell Internet: ekrell@ulysses.att.commark@mkvpc.UUCP (mark varnell) (01/31/89)
In article <695@flatline.UUCP>, erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu) writes: > > Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, > a file by the name of: > -ef > None of the following rm options work: *f, *ef, -*f, -i * > The error returned? > rm: illegal option -- e I've done this one before myself.. Try making a dummy file 'fdummy' and then: rm fdummy -ef Thus rm will not try to interpret -ef as an option. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mark Varnell mark@mkvpc.UUCP {mtune!gladys, kd4nc!gladys, bakerst}!rbdc!mkvpc!mark +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
sac@conrad.UUCP (Steven A. Conrad) (02/01/89)
In article <102@keysec.UUCP> scott@keysec.UUCP (Scott Bartram) writes: > >Second, remove the file: > > 1. try using "echo": > > rm `echo "foo\007bar"` Frequently the easiest way is to use the wild character symbol '?' in place of any nonprinting characters or characters which would otherwise prevent the command from being carried out. -- Steven A. Conrad, Department of Medicine (Critical Care) Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, LA UUCP: sac@conrad.UUCP, Internet: conrad@manta.pha.pa.us "Silence is the only successful substitute for brains"
tbm@cbnews.ATT.COM (thomas.b.merrick) (02/02/89)
In article <791@pedsga.UUCP> jeffj@pedsga.UUCP (Jeff Jonas,TF,7) writes: >In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: >|>Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, >|>a file by the name of: >|>-ef >|>rm: illegal option -- e >|>usage: rm [-fir] file ... > Well, the easiest trick is like :: rm ./-ef Works every time, even if rm does not understand "--". Tom Merrick ATT BTL Ward Hill MA att!mvuxd!tbm
jon@jonlab.UUCP (Jon H. LaBadie) (02/02/89)
In article <350@arnold.UUCP>, dave@arnold.UUCP (Dave Arnold) writes: > erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu) writes: > > > > I've created, in my home directory, a file by the name of: > > -ef > mv \-ef Xef > rm Xef A simple way to "trick" rm into removing "dash" files is to not place the dash file name first. Give a false, dummy name, then the dash file name. rm xyzzy -ef Rm will complain about xyzzy not being there, but will accecpt -ef as a file name, not an option (options comming before file names). -- Jon LaBadie {att, ulysses, princeton, bcr}!jonlab!jon
ebh@argon.UUCP (Ed Horch) (02/04/89)
In article <154@conrad.UUCP> sac@conrad.UUCP (Steven A. Conrad) writes: >Frequently the easiest way is to use the wild character symbol '?' >in place of any nonprinting characters or characters which would >otherwise prevent the command from being carried out. That won't work if you're trying to remove a file named "-ef", for the same reason that using * doesn't work. It's the shell that does the expansion of wild cards, not the rm command itself. So, if you specify the file "-ef" as "?ef", the rm command is invoked by the shell as "rm -ef" after all. You have to use one of the other tricks that have been posted here, and also posted in the "Frequently Asked Questions" article in news.announce.newusers. To summarize: rm ./-ef rm -- -ef mv -ef foo; rm foo cd ..; rm -r directory etc. -Ed
dpw@lemuria.usi.com (Darryl P. Wagoner) (02/04/89)
In article <589@icus.islp.ny.us> lenny@icus.islp.ny.us (Lenny Tropiano) writes: }In article <695@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (j eric townsend) writes: }|> }|>Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, }|>a file by the name of: }|>-ef }|> }|>Any hints/suggestions? } }Yeah, I do ... :-) } }Rename the file with "mv(1)", since that doesn't have any argument switches, }it won't complain about the "-ef", then remove it. } }$ mv -ef junk }$ rm junk } }-Lenny Also you can do a rm ./-ef. That will kept the - from being picked up as an option.-- Darryl Wagoner (home) dpw@lemuria.uucp or wagoner@imokay.dec.com Digital Equipment Corp; OS/2, Just say No! Boxboro, Ma (w) 508-264-5586 UUCP: virgin!lemuria!dpw
eric@becker.UUCP (Eric Siegerman) (02/13/89)
In article <836@ttrde.UUCP> pfales@ttrde.UUCP (Peter Fales) writes: > In article <695@flatline.UUCP>, erict@flatline.UUCP (The Evil Mel Fujitsu) writes: > > Ok, I've really done it now. I've created, in my home directory, > > a file by the name of: > > -ef > [...] > 1) ls -i (to get the inode number of the file. Call it N) > 2) find . -inum N -print -exec rm {} \; > > It works on every problem I have had: > [...] > Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary. Your mileage might in fact be *greater* than expected: if you originally messed yourself up by ln good_file garbage_name the recommended approach will happily remove both links to your file! The simplest approach to erict's specific problem (while admittedly not a general solution) is rm ./-ef -- Eric Siegerman, Toronto, Ont. eks@kneller.UUCP, eric@becker.UUCP, ...!utzoo!mnetor!becker!kneller!eks