Linux/UNIX: Move File Starting With A Dash

In Unix or Linux operating systems, how do I move file(s) starting with a dash (e.g., /home/you/--filename.txt or /home/you/-filename.txt)?

Many meta-characters such as semicolons, spaces, backslashes, dollar signs, question marks, and asterisks are characters that are interpreted under Unix as commands. - or -- interpreted as an option passed to the command. Try the following suggestions for moving (mv) or copying (cp) these files.

Create Test File

Type the following command:

cd /tmp/
> '-foo.txt'
> '--bar.txt'

List Files Starting With a Dash

Try to list them, enter:

ls -l *.txt

You will get an error as follows:

ls: unrecognized option '--bar.txt'
Try `ls --help' for more information.

To delimit the option list use -- i.e. type the following command:

ls -l -- *.txt

cp and mv commands

Same can be used to copy or move files:

cp -- '--bar.txt' /path/to/dest

OR

cp -v -- '--bar.txt' /path/to/dest

To move files:

mv -- '--bar.txt' /path/to/dest

OR

mv -v -- '--bar.txt' /path/to/dest

In short the syntax is as follows:

cp options -- '--filename' /dest
mv options -- '--filename' /dest

The -- delimit the option list. Later arguments, if any, are treated a operands even if they begin with - or --. This applies to all commands such as rm, cp, mv, ls, ln and so on:

 command -- 'file'
command [options] -- 'file'
rm -- '--filename'
rm -fr -- '-dirname'
rmdir -- '--dirname'