Re^2: unlink fails to delete files with perculiar names

I think you are right in that the file is an auto backup from word, and probably one that was orphaned some months back. Unfourtunatly the file cannot be seen in an explorer window, or from the dir command in a command window.

Comment on Re^2: unlink fails to delete files with perculiar names

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Re^3: unlink fails to delete files with perculiar names by Anonymous Monk on Nov 23, 2011 at 13:47 UTC
Unfourtunatly the file cannot be seen in an explorer window, or from the dir command in a command window. hidden files require doing more than the default to see them	[reply]
Re^3: unlink fails to delete files with perculiar names by DaveARoberts (Acolyte) on Nov 23, 2011 at 13:43 UTC
Thinking more on this I think that you have touched on the source of the file (a temporary backup from an MS Office program - I have excel, word and powerpoint examples). If I try to delete a file using unlink with the application still open it complains (Permission denied). The code snippet is from a file replication utility. I think what has happened is that an oen file has been replicated, the original destroyed by the creating application, and then replaced by a subsequent replication event. The preventative cure is to prohibit the copy of a file with the pattern "/~$" in its path/name. The curative solution may be to delete any directory containing files with this pattern - and recreate what I want from a backup	[reply]