RM(1)                   COMMAND REFERENCE                   RM(1)



NAME
     rm - remove (unlink) files or directories

SYNOPSIS
     rm [ -f ] [ -i ] [ -r ] [ - ] filename...

DESCRIPTION
     Rm removes the entries for one or more files from a
     directory.  If an entry was the last link to the file, the
     file is destroyed.  Removal of a file requires write
     permission in its directory, but neither read nor write
     permission on the file itself.

     If a file has no write permission or is currently busy (see
     CAVEATS), and the standard input is a terminal, its
     permissions are printed and a line is read from the standard
     input.  If that line begins with y the file is deleted;
     otherwise the file remains.  No questions are asked and no
     errors are reported when the -f (force) option is given.

     If a designated file is a directory, an error comment is
     printed unless the optional argument -r has been used. In
     that case, rm recursively deletes the entire contents of the
     specified directory, and the directory itself.

     If the -i (interactive) option is in effect, rm asks whether
     to delete each file, and, under -r, whether to examine each
     directory.

     The null option - indicates that all the arguments following
     it are to be treated as filenames. This allows the
     specification of filenames starting with a minus.

     It is forbidden to remove the file `..' merely to avoid the
     antisocial consequences of inadvertently doing something
     like rm-r.*.

     If no filenames are given, a usage message is printed,
     unless the -f option is given.

OPTIONS
     -f  No questions are asked and no errors are reported when
         the -f (force) option is given.

     -i  Rm asks whether to delete each file, and, under -r,
         whether to examine each directory.

     -r  Rm recursively deletes the entire contents of the
         specified directory, and the directory itself.

     -   Indicates that all the arguments following it are to be
         treated as filenames. This allows the specification of



Printed 10/17/86                                                1

RM(1)                   COMMAND REFERENCE                   RM(1)



         filenames starting with a minus.

EXAMPLES
     The following example removes the contents of the directory
     /usr/example and each of its subdirectories, and the
     directory itself. It will not complain about files for which
     the user does not have write permission.



          rm -rf /usr/example


RETURN VALUE
     [NO_ERRS]      Command completed without error.

     [USAGE]        Incorrect command line syntax. Execution
                    terminated.

     [NP_WARN]      An error warranting a warning message
                    occurred. Execution continues.

     [NP_ERR]       An error occurred that was not a system
                    error.  Execution terminated.

     [P_WARN]       A system error occurred. Execution continues.
                    See intro(2) for more information on system
                    errors.

     [P_ERR]        A system error occurred. Execution
                    terminated.  See intro(2) for more
                    information on system errors.

CAVEATS
     When a file is busy (being executed), rm will ask if the
     file is to be removed, even if the permissions are such that
     the user has write permission.  This applies to all users,
     including the superuser.

     Questions are printed on standard error. Therefore, when
     redirecting standard error to a file, the -f option should
     be used.

     Recursive removes of directory structures of more than
     NOFILE - 3 levels do not fail.  In effect, rm can remove any
     depth of directory structure.

SEE ALSO
     rmdir(1), rmdir(2), unlink(2).






Printed 10/17/86                                                2

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