UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi All,

I have a script written that creates a new directory within the shell program and if a parameter isn't passed in, it creates a strange directory name by mistake. So I have a directory like "-_12" and I am unable to remove it. I tried removing it using double quote and many others. I have been faced with this before but unsure how it was done correctly to remove it.
$ rmdir -f -_12
rmdir: illegal option -- _
rmdir: illegal option -- 1
rmdir: illegal option -- 2
Usage: rmdir [-fip] dirname ...

or trying to cd into this directory...
$ cd -_12
ksh: cd: bad option(s)

try

Code:

rmdir -f \-_12

I did try that...
$ rmdir -f \-_12
rmdir: illegal option -- _
rmdir: illegal option -- 1
rmdir: illegal option -- 2
Usage: rmdir [-fip] dirname ...

I even thought of this one as well....
$ rmdir -f \-\_12
rmdir: illegal option -- _
rmdir: illegal option -- 1
rmdir: illegal option -- 2
Usage: rmdir [-fip] dirname ...

Thanks for trying...

you can always use
rm -f *12
or
cd *12

Did those as well and didn't work either. If I recalled in the past, I had to masked the first character so as not to be interpreted by the shell.

did you try?
rmdir -f '-_12'
or
rmdir -f "-_12"

$ rmdir -f '-_12'
rmdir: illegal option -- _
rmdir: illegal option -- 1
rmdir: illegal option -- 2
Usage: rmdir [-fip] dirname ...

i2batch@phgp0486 [/interfaces/ip/pep/in/Run]
$ cd '-_12'
ksh: cd: bad option(s)

i2batch@phgp0486 [/interfaces/ip/pep/in/Run]
$ rm -f '-_12'
rm: illegal option -- _
rm: illegal option -- 1
rm: illegal option -- 2
Usage: rm [-Rfir] file ...

Same problem. I did check if there were any character before the dash by using ls -lb
$ ls -lb
total 30
drwxrwxrwx 2 i2batch I2 1024 Dec 10 10:57 -_12
drwx------ 2 i2batch I2 96 Feb 4 17:39 -_15