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remove a whole directory tree WITH files inside?

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting remove a whole directory tree WITH files inside?
# 1  
Old 10-06-2011
remove a whole directory tree WITH files inside?
Assume I want to remove a whole directory tree beginning with /foo/bar/
The directory or sub-directories may contain files.

The top directory /foo/bar/ itself should not be deleted.
Code:
rm -f- r /foo/bar

does not work because it requires a directory tree without files.

How does it work with files inside?

Peter

Moderator's Comments:
Mod Comment Please use code tags
Last edited by zaxxon; 10-06-2011 at 08:15 AM.. Reason: code tags, see PM
# 2  
Old 10-06-2011
Looks like a typo; just using -r requires empty directories, but adding the -f enforces it and it will nor stop for any directories or files inside.

Code:
rm -rf /foo/bar/*
# or
cd /foo/bar
rm -rf *

# 3  
Old 10-06-2011
In addition to zaxxons solution, if there are hidden files and/or directories in /foo/bar they are not deleted. You need a second run for them:
Code:
rm -rf /foo/bar/.*

# 4  
Old 10-06-2011
Code:
cd /foo
rm -rf bar

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