UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

If I am root user, and trying to chown everything in a directory and it's subdirectories (e.g. httpdocs and everything inside that directory, including it's sub directories), how would I do that? I tried it with -r but it didnt seem to work...can someone help with the correct syntax?

Also, if I was trying to delete a directory and all it's sub directories, how would i do that? (coulndt get it to work with the -r)

Any help is appreciated.. Thanks

To chown a directory called httpdocs and all files and subdirectories within httpdocs do (substitute for user):

Code:

chown -R user httpdocs

To remove a directory and all files and subdirectories underneath (be very, very careful and make sure you want to do this):

Code:

rm -rf directory

thanks for the reply.

the remove dir with -r worked, but the chown with the -r did not... its says invalid option.

i am on suse linux 10 enterpise, could there be a different command? thanks

dangral, ahh! it works - you must make sure the -R is a capital R...using the lowercase r did not work, but the capital did.

thanks for your help!