How Linux removes files that start with special characters

  Zhanhailiang Date: 2014-11-18

When using some tools, Linux often generates some files that start with a special character, such as-starting with a normal RM, which prompts "invalid option":

[Root@~]# RM-\,trail\:-Rm:invalid option-- ', 'Try`RM./-,trail:-' To remove the file '-,trail:-'. Try`RM --help' For more information.

This is because the Linux shell defaults to the-o|–option representation of the option configuration and cannot read the corresponding option configuration in the current command RM, so an error is given.

By rm–help you can see:

To remove afileWhose name starts with a`-' For example '-foo ', use one of these commands:RM -- -fooRM./-foo

In summary, to remove special files, you can use either an absolute path or a relative path or – to avoid mistakenly parsing the file name to the option configuration , which provides a variety of operational scenarios:

The first type:rm–filename

[ root@  ~"  # RM---\,trail\:- rm:remove regular empty file  " -,trail:-< span class= "St_ H "style=" Color:rgb (255,0,0) ">"? 

second type: rm relative path

[ root@  ~"  # rm./-\,trail\:- rm:remove Regular empty file  " . /-,trail:-< span class=" St_h "style=" Color:rgb (255,0,0) ">"?  

third type: RM absolute Path

[ root@  ~"  # rm ~/-\,trail\:- rm:remove Regular empty file  "/ root/-,trail:-< span class= "St_h" style= "Color:rgb (255,0,0)" > "?  

A bit more in-depth analysis of source code:

First, download the source package:

[root@~/software] # wget http://down1.chinaunix.net/distfiles/coreutils-8.4.tar.gz

View SRC/RM.C Source code:

It is visible that RM directly complains when the parameter starts with a special character-and is not in the option configuration.

How Linux removes files that start with special characters