Removing folder named ~ inside directory

red_ifo · 09-16-2013, 10:31 AM

I realize that ~ is a shortcut to your home directory, but I've got a directory that contains files, folders, and a folder named ~. And of course if I try to go to that folder I end up in my home folder. If I try to delete the containing directory, it starts deleting from my home folder. It doesn't look like a symbolic link, just a normal folder named ~. How do I remove this folder from the directory?

Thanks for any help here!

schneidz · 09-16-2013, 10:33 AM

maybe one of these would work:

Code:

rm ./~
rm \~
rm '~'

Habitual · 09-16-2013, 10:40 AM

You can delete a file with strange characters (especially hidden characters) by it’s inode number.

To find the inode number of a file, list the directory with the -i option:

Code:

ls -i "~"

quoting "~" should keep ~ from expanding to /home/user...YMMV

Note the inode number of the file "~"

Use the find command to delete the file by it’s inode number:

Code:

find . -inum nnnnnnn -exec echo rm {} \;

Warning:
ECHO is a 'dry-run', remove once the correct file has been verified.

Alternate solution, use a graphical File Manager.

red_ifo · 09-16-2013, 10:46 AM

Thank you for the quick replies!

I did your find command and it was telling me that it was a directory, and if I changed to rmdir then it told me it wasn't empty. I was able to get into that directory and there was a tmp directory, I deleted that and the '~' directory vanished. I've never seen that before. But thanks again for both of your suggestions, they were very helpful in getting rid of it.

suicidaleggroll · 09-16-2013, 10:56 AM

Tab completion is very helpful for matching bad file/dir names.

For example

Code:

rmdir ~

followed by Tab, will complete to

Code:

rmdir \~/

which will allow you to remove it properly.

Habitual · 09-16-2013, 12:42 PM

Glad it worked out.