Subject: [Suggestion] Add warning/error when using the tilde expansion in a
folder where the tile-named file/folder exists
Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: x86_64
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS: -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/bash-Smvct5/bash-5.0=.
-fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wall
-Wno-parentheses -Wno-format-security
uname output: Linux ltarrr 5.15.133.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 #1 SMP Thu Oct 5
21:02:42 UTC 2023 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: x86_64-pc-linux-gnu
Bash Version: 5.0
Patch Level: 17
Release Status: release
Description:
Due to a mistake in coding a script, a folder named '~' was generated.
An unexperienced bash user issued the command "rm -rf ~" by mistake, intending
to delete the '~' folder, but this resulted in deleting 150GB+ of data at their
home directory.
In my opinion, it would be useful to have a warning be issued when in
interactive mode, when at the current working directory a file/folder named '~'
exists, and a command with a parameter starting with ~ is used (which will
produce tilde expansion).
Repeat-By:
Create a file/folder named '~': mkdir '~'
Try to delete it with a bogus command (DO NOT EXECUTE): rm -rf ~
Fix:
When in interactive mode and when a suitable flag is activated, an
error should appear. For example:
<Error: use of ~ is ambiguous. Please either specify '~' or type the
home path to avoid ambiguity.>
Thank you for your time,
Andres R
