Deleting a number of hidden files with the same name

Hi lloydyweb, welcome to discussions.
try find <Volume> -name "\.PBSyncDB" -exec rm {} \;
Should do the trick.
Cheers.

Hi again what I would do is type find then drag the volume into the terminal window -name "\.PBSyncDB" -exec rm {} \;
see if that does it.
Cheers.

I thought this sounded like a cool command, so decided to try it out on my Ttest folder, which is on my Desktop, and exists for the sole purpose of Trying Things. I decided to delete all the .DS_Store files. First I checked to see that they were found.

Type in

find

hit the space bar and then drug the Ttest folder into the Terminal window, released it, Terminal automatically fills in the correct path and helpfully adds a space at the end of the path. Next type

-name

hit the spacebar and type

"\.DS_Store"

and hit the Return key. A list of all the .DS_Store files is returned in the folder and all the sub-folders.

Repeat the above command, put a space after "\.DS_Store" and type

-exec

spacebar, then the brackets, space, slash and semi-colon, hit the Return key. The final command looks like this:

Tiger:~ francine$ find /Users/francine/Desktop/Ttest/ -name "\.DS_Store" -exec rm {} \;

All the .DS_Store files were gone. In your case, if you only want to search your home folder you drag 'n drop that folder into the Terminal after typing find and a space. Cool command Andbrowny! Thanks.


Francine
Schwieder

Hi Francine, I actually used CLIX's command first for .DS files, and just modified it.
Glad you like it.
Cheers.

Hi again try sudo the command and enter your password when prompted.
fingers crossed at this end.
Cheers

Hi again, we may have to change tack here, in the terminal if you type defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true; killall finder
Locate one of these pesky files and do a Get Info on it change the owner to yourself and try to delete it.
See if that works, if it does we may be able to add a chown to the command.
Cheers.
BTW to turn off defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean false; killall finder

If a command like

Tiger:~ francine$ sudo find /Users/francine/Desktop/Ttest/ -name "\.DS_Store" -exec rm {} \;

doesn't do it, and investigating the Ownership/Permissions issue doesn't help, it could be that the system immutable bit is set. See this article.

I have a vague memory of some file getting that set, and I think Michael Conniff wrote tip about it. Of course, I could be totally confused about this.


Francine
Schwieder

Hi lloyd, the command should be sudo chown USERNAME path tofile
or for the path just drag the file into the terminal window.
enter your password when prompted and it should make the change. if you do the defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true; killall finder command first it'll make it easier to drag the file and also get a getInfo on it to check the ownership etc.. Good Luck
Cheers