how can i delete an directory??

vito_huang · 12-11-2004, 09:27 AM

how can i use rm to delete an directory, i try to use option -d but still not work, also i try to use -r it works,however you have to comfirm everytime.

Vookimedlo · 12-11-2004, 09:39 AM

recursion delete:
rm -rf dirname

empty dir delete:
rmdir dirname

comfirm everytime problem:
it's caused by -i option, probably you have alias rm='rm -i'

reddazz · 12-11-2004, 09:47 AM

be careful when using "rm -rf" coz it's irreversible.

vito_huang · 12-16-2004, 01:57 AM

by the way, you said "rm -rf" coz it's irreversible. does that mean the other can reversible???? can you give me on detail how to do that

Haiyadragon · 12-16-2004, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vito_huang
by the way, you said "rm -rf" coz it's irreversible. does that mean the other can reversible???? can you give me on detail how to do that

They aren't. What he meant to say was that you can easily delete entire directories with everything in them by mistake. For instance, I once did a 'rm /etc -fr' instead of 'rm etc -fr' while root. No fun. But if you use a desktop environment like KDE or Gnome, they have trashcan thingies if you delete it with their file manager (Konqueror or Nautilus).