can't delete a file starting with a '-'

Question

i have a file is name

-ksh.l.15092015.log

to delete this file i do this:

rm -rf -ksh.l.15092015.log

but i have this error:

rm: Not a recognized flag: k

Usage: rm [-firRe] [--] File...

i have do this:

rm -rf *ksh*

but i have the same errors, why ?

Thx for your help !

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 15 '15 at 10:00

5

Execute this:

rm -rf ./-ksh.l.15092015.log

answered Sep 15 '15 at 10:00

SHW

primero · Answer 2 · 2015-09-15T12:02:50.293

5

This is a nice question, and from what I remember some sysadmin interviews make use of it.

You have multiple ways of doing this:

Remove using relative or absolute path. As SHW has said in his answer:
```
rm -rf ./-ksh.l.15092015.log
```
or
```
rm -rf /full/path/-ksh.l.15092015.log
```
Remove by disabling the interpretation of dash (-) for rm
```
rm -- -ksh.l.15092015.log
```

And the more convoluted way :), using the inode:

ls -li | grep ksh.l.15092015.log

5383819 -rw-r--r-- 1 root root        0 sep 15 13:17 -ksh.l.15092015.log

find . -inum 5383819 -delete

You could also use mc and vim, but these are the "shell" ways that I know.

edited Sep 15 '15 at 12:02

answered Sep 15 '15 at 10:21

primero

1

"disabling the the shell interpretation of dash" — incorrect. The shell does not interpret that dash, it's the rm command that does it. – Celada Sep 15 '15 at 11:06

2 Answers2