Error Using rm Command

suchi_s · 05-28-2004, 02:10 AM

when using command rm *.txt
getting error

bash: /bin/rm: argument list too long...
while removing i m getting this error

suchi_s · 05-28-2004, 04:40 AM

when i use the command rm *txt
error comes
argument list too long

XavierP · 05-28-2004, 05:15 AM

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Linux-General and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Please try to post in the correct forums.

kinasz · 05-28-2004, 05:34 AM

try something like

{ while [true ]
do
ls -1 *txt| head| rm *
done };

rough as guts, it will infinite loop when they are all deleted but will do the job

edit: anyone know how to fix the condition on this one?

suchi_s · 05-28-2004, 05:59 AM

what is for xargs command with find and print command , with that we can overcome this prob but dont know how to use it.

trickykid · 05-28-2004, 06:31 AM

Moved: Not a Success Story.

Demonbane · 05-28-2004, 06:34 AM

maybe do it one by one?

Code:

for foo in *.txt; do rm -i $foo; done

frandalla · 05-28-2004, 06:46 AM

The problem is you have just too many files... try doing first:
rm a*.txt
rm m*.txt
rm d*.txt
rm c*.txt
or just the letters that have most of the files and then
rm *.txt

bahramH · 05-28-2004, 06:47 AM

An onther solution, without the infinite loop, would be :

> a = `ls *txt`
> for file in $a
> do
> rm -f $file
> done

the first command put all files with txt extension into the variable a ;

the sign is not ', but ` .

suchi_s · 05-28-2004, 06:48 AM

what if all the files start from a*

kinasz · 05-28-2004, 07:12 AM

that's what i was aiming at - good one

bureado · 05-28-2004, 07:14 AM

You are doing

rm *txt

And you must do

rm *.txt

Try and if it doesn't work just follow the longer solutions.

Dark_Helmet · 05-28-2004, 12:23 PM

find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.txt" -exec rm {} \;

Explanation:
Find starts looking in the current directory for files that match the attributes given by the arguments
'-maxdepth 1' limits the find command to look only in the directory specified
'-type f' only match against regular files (not directories, links, etc.)
'-name "*.txt"' only choose files that match the *.txt format
'-exec rm {} \;' for each file found that matches, execute the rm command. Replace {} with the name of the file found, and the \; just signals the end of the command to execute.

man find for more details

Dark_Helmet · 05-28-2004, 12:31 PM

This is a duplicate thread. You can find the original here

XavierP · 05-28-2004, 12:59 PM

suchi_s - you will have seen that your 2 threads were merged into one. Please try to post in the correct forum - and only post once.