GNU bug report logs - #16862
Feature Request for rm

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Marc Perkel <marc <at> perkel.com>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: Feature Request for rm
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2014 21:36:24 -0800

Minor feature request

Suggest -q (for quiet) for rm command. No error code if file doesn't exist.

rm -q file

rather tham

rm file 2> /dev/null

my 2 cents

Message #8 received at 16862 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>
To: Marc Perkel <marc <at> perkel.com>
Cc: 16862 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#16862: Feature Request for rm
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2014 23:28:47 -0700

severity 16862 wishlist
close 16862
thanks

Hello Marc,

Marc Perkel wrote:
> Minor feature request
> Suggest -q (for quiet) for rm command. No error code if file doesn't exist.
> rm -q file
> rather tham
> rm file 2> /dev/null

The 'rm' program already handles this feature using the -f option.  It
is a standard idiom.  Instead of -q you want -f.

  rm -f file

This is much better than 'rm file 2> /dev/null' because errors are
properly reported to the caller.

The documentation says:

  -f
  --force
     Ignore nonexistent files and missing operands, and never prompt
     the user.  Ignore any previous --interactive (-i) option.

Since this is a standard feature I am marking the ticket closed.
Please feel free to add further discussion into the bug log.

Bob

Message #13 received at 16862-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Bernhard Voelker <mail <at> bernhard-voelker.de>
To: Marc Perkel <marc <at> perkel.com>, 16862-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#16862: Feature Request for rm
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 07:39:24 +0100

tag 16862 notabug
thanks

On 02/24/2014 06:36 AM, Marc Perkel wrote:
> Minor feature request
> 
> Suggest -q (for quiet) for rm command. No error code if file doesn't exist.
> 
> rm -q file
> 
> rather tham
> 
> rm file 2> /dev/null

Thanks for the suggestion, but such an option already exists
for a very long time (if not even since day one).

From "info coreutils 'rm invocation'":

  `-f'
  `--force'
       Ignore nonexistent files and missing operands, and never prompt
       the user.  Ignore any previous `--interactive' (`-i') option.

The -f option is one of those mandated by POSIX:
  http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/rm.html

Therefore, I'm tagging this as "not a bug" and I'm marking it as done.

Have a nice day,
Berny

Message #16 received at 16862 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Marc Perkel <marc <at> perkel.com>
To: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>
Cc: 16862 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#16862: Feature Request for rm
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2014 22:42:50 -0800

Wow! I'm blind - thanks!

On 2/23/2014 10:28 PM, Bob Proulx wrote:
> severity 16862 wishlist
> close 16862
> thanks
>
> Hello Marc,
>
> Marc Perkel wrote:
>> Minor feature request
>> Suggest -q (for quiet) for rm command. No error code if file doesn't exist.
>> rm -q file
>> rather tham
>> rm file 2> /dev/null
> The 'rm' program already handles this feature using the -f option.  It
> is a standard idiom.  Instead of -q you want -f.
>
>    rm -f file
>
> This is much better than 'rm file 2> /dev/null' because errors are
> properly reported to the caller.
>
> The documentation says:
>
>    -f
>    --force
>       Ignore nonexistent files and missing operands, and never prompt
>       the user.  Ignore any previous --interactive (-i) option.
>
> Since this is a standard feature I am marking the ticket closed.
> Please feel free to add further discussion into the bug log.
>
> Bob
>

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