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Old 03-16-2016, 06:02 PM   #1
MikeJames
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Recursive use of small r and capital R


why can you use both the capital and lower case r when recursively looking for files?
 
Old 03-16-2016, 06:50 PM   #2
offgridguy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJames View Post
why can you use both the capital and lower case r when recursively looking for files?
Do you mean on a Linux system or your Windows 7?
 
Old 03-16-2016, 07:19 PM   #3
Keith Hedger
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Depends on the command and how the developer coded it, if the dev allows -r and -R then you can, try reading the man page for the command in question, whatever that is.
 
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:35 PM   #4
MikeJames
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I meant within linux, just taking a class and it's confusing why you could use both the lower and upper case of a letter where most other letters mean two different things, like -a list all filenames where as -A excludes . and .. special files. I'm thinking what Keith replied makes sense with the developer codes it makes sense. Thanks,
 
Old 03-16-2016, 07:53 PM   #5
syg00
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Read the documentation.
Always.

For example the "ls" command uses both - for different functions. Each command may be different. Or not. It's maybe boring, but the only way to be sure is to read the doco.
 
Old 03-16-2016, 08:10 PM   #6
rknichols
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It is pretty unusual for "-r" and "-R" to mean the same thing in a given command. In ls, "R" means "recursive" and "-r" reverses the sorting order. In [I]cp/I] and rsync, "-r" means "recursive", and I don't offhand know what "-R" means in either one without looking at the respective manpages. OK, I see that in cp they do mean the same thing.

Last edited by rknichols; 03-16-2016 at 08:11 PM.
 
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:28 PM   #7
JJJCR
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Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJames View Post
I meant within linux, just taking a class and it's confusing why you could use both the lower and upper case of a letter where most other letters mean two different things, like -a list all filenames where as -A excludes . and .. special files. I'm thinking what Keith replied makes sense with the developer codes it makes sense. Thanks,
Just take it slowly, Linux commands are case sensitive. You'll get a hang of it once you get you used to it.

Android is also case sensitive since it uses Java, if you keep repeating the same mistake you'll get a hang of it and you will easily remember next time you made the same mistake.

Last edited by JJJCR; 03-16-2016 at 08:47 PM. Reason: edit
 
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:31 PM   #8
hydrurga
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An examination of the grep 2.24 source code from http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/grep.git shows the relevant handling code to be:

Code:
case 'R':
  fts_options = basic_fts_options | FTS_LOGICAL;
  /* Fall through.  */
case 'r':
  directories = RECURSE_DIRECTORIES;
  last_recursive = prev_optind;
  break;
meaning that an -r -R, in whichever order, will end up being the same as an -R.
 
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Old 03-17-2016, 04:40 PM   #9
MikeJames
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Solved, thanks to everyone
 
  


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