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File rename error

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Homework and Emergencies Emergency UNIX and Linux Support File rename error
# 8  
Old 10-18-2011
Both won't work, because they protect the - from interpretation by the shell, which is not the problem. The getopt function in the mv command will still interpret the leading - as an optionlist.
Code:
$ ls
-9file.jpg
$ mv \-9file.jpg 9file.jpg
mv: illegal option -- 9
mv: illegal option -- l
mv: illegal option -- e
mv: illegal option -- .
mv: illegal option -- j
mv: illegal option -- p
mv: illegal option -- g
mv: Insufficient arguments (1)
Usage: mv [-f] [-i] f1 f2
       mv [-f] [-i] f1 ... fn d1
       mv [-f] [-i] d1 d2
$ mv '-9file.jpg' 9file.jpg
mv: illegal option -- 9
mv: illegal option -- l
mv: illegal option -- e
mv: illegal option -- .
mv: illegal option -- j
mv: illegal option -- p
mv: illegal option -- g
mv: Insufficient arguments (1)
Usage: mv [-f] [-i] f1 f2
       mv [-f] [-i] f1 ... fn d1
       mv [-f] [-i] d1 d2

Last edited by hergp; 10-18-2011 at 11:05 AM.. Reason: clarification
# 9  
Old 10-18-2011
Code:
ant:/home/vbe $ mv \-9file.jpg 9file.jpg
Usage: mv [-f] [-i] [-e warn|force|ignore] f1 f2
       mv [-f] [-i] [-e warn|force|ignore] f1 ... fn d1
       mv [-f] [-i] [-e warn|force|ignore] d1 d2
ant:/home/vbe $ mv ./\-9file.jpg 9file.jpg
ant:/home/vbe $

# 10  
Old 10-20-2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommyk
as stated above - tells the command to expect options as it is a special character.
You need to remove the special meaning of this either by the backslash or by using quotes.

Code:
mv \-9file.jpg 9file.jpg
or
mv '-9file.jpg' 9file.jpg

Dash is not a special character, it does not need to be backslashed, never.

Code:
localhost kernel # echo -
-
localhost kernel # echo "-"
-
localhost kernel # echo '-'
-
localhost kernel # echo \-
-
localhost kernel #

Stick with the -- solution. It's the official Smilie
# 11  
Old 10-21-2011
Code:
 
man mv

Code:
 
A -- permits the user to mark explicitly the end of any com-
     mand  line  options, allowing mv to recognize filename argu-
     ments that begin with a -. As an aid to  BSD  migration,  mv
     will  accept  -  as a synonym for --. This migration aid may
     disappear in a future release
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