Comments on: How to resolve the '/bin/rm: Argument list too long' error http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/02/18/linux-tip-overcoming-the-binrm-argument-list-too-long-error/ Common questions, simple answers Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:40:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: myhnet http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/02/18/linux-tip-overcoming-the-binrm-argument-list-too-long-error/comment-page-1/#comment-10573 myhnet Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:12:57 +0000 http://www.simplehelp.net/?p=2262#comment-10573 find . -type f -exec rm {} \; find . -type f -exec rm {} \;

]]> By: MikeT http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/02/18/linux-tip-overcoming-the-binrm-argument-list-too-long-error/comment-page-1/#comment-10575 MikeT Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:30:53 +0000 http://www.simplehelp.net/?p=2262#comment-10575 Good catch using the print0 option, that's an important one. Most find commands do not require the "-name" predicate. What's usually more important is to make sure you're deleting *files* and not something else you might not have intended. For this use "-type f" inplace of the "-name" option.... find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 /bin/rm A) Use the full path to the 'rm' command so your aliases don't muck with things. B) Check your xargs command, you can sometimes, if needed, tell it to use one "result" at a time, such as (if you didn't use print0 but regular print) "-l1" Good catch using the print0 option, that’s an important one.

Most find commands do not require the “-name” predicate. What’s usually more important is to make sure you’re deleting *files* and not something else you might not have intended. For this use “-type f” inplace of the “-name” option….

find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 /bin/rm

A) Use the full path to the ‘rm’ command so your aliases don’t muck with things.
B) Check your xargs command, you can sometimes, if needed, tell it to use one “result” at a time, such as (if you didn’t use print0 but regular print) “-l1″

]]> By: Aleš Friedl http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/02/18/linux-tip-overcoming-the-binrm-argument-list-too-long-error/comment-page-1/#comment-10574 Aleš Friedl Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:16:57 +0000 http://www.simplehelp.net/?p=2262#comment-10574 Safe variant for filenames with spaces, new lines and other whitespace characters: find . -name '*' -print0 | xargs -o rm Safe variant for filenames with spaces, new lines and other whitespace characters:
find . -name ‘*’ -print0 | xargs -o rm

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