G'day

Linux newbie ive got a whole heap of files that end in .txt and I want to get a list of all files in my current directory that have txt in them, so I figured ls *txt* would work, but it doesn't it returns invalid option -- e. I've also tried ls *.txt ls *txt, and ls *t*, all return invalid option e. However, if i try ls *bash*, it works fine. I'm using the bash shell. So to me that tells me im using the right syntax...but then why wouldn't it work with .txt ?

Try this: locate /home/[type directory name here]/*.txt

There may be a better way, but this way works for me.

Any chance there's a file name starting with a dash containing an 'e'? Try "ls -- *txt*".

2 members found this post helpful.

yup there was and that did the trick. Why cant ls handle files beginning with a dash ?

It can't tell the difference between "ls -option" and "ls -filename". The - is used to indicate the start of options. "--" disables option processing.

1 members found this post helpful.

Ah, that makes sense now. Intresting little gotcha.

Thanks for your help mate

I've Never seen this before. I've used -FileName (hyphen FileName) for years to get a info or important file to list first... Wow.

I was exhausted. My next step was to compile utils from source.

In My Case: I had a file named '-2016.11.26-whatever.txt' - it was important info from that date. I didn't connect the --'2' error with file names and was getting:
P.S. - weird thing is, I didn't get the error in terminal as root, working on same directory / files using same options ls *.txt
Only difference is for root:
# echo $LS_OPTIONS there is a '-A' where my user does not have the '-A' - rest is the same

THANK YOU!
Landis.

Just for fun, you can create a file named --help

(and when that gets tiresome, delete it by rm ./--help )

Landis:
You can use utility to see if and/or how it's been modified from 'expected' behaviors in user or root,
I disable them interactively by preceding with \<alias>
or
unalias <alias>

Have fun.