Different code paths, different checks going on. I’m guessing the command line method is a lot more direct and just goes ahead and removes stuff, while the empty trash command is cleaner, updating spotlight that items are not searchable anymore, etc.
Well I’d also consider the fact that the Trash can will not delete an item if there are any open file handles on the files inside, where as rm -rf will. If it’s skipping that check it could also contribute to it.
Although I’d imagine David’s idea about spotlight is probably where the bulk of the issue is.
Things like the ability to delete the contents of the Trash through the command line are one of the reasons I love OS X, you can get around weird file locking issues pretty easily with that. Windows bugs me to no end with file lock deletion errors which sometimes just seem to require a reboot to fix.
David K.
@Jim Kelly – There are a number of tricks on Windows to get around such errors depending on what they are. If its a file in use, then you can use a process explorer progrma of some sort to find what process is using the file and kill it. If its an ownership issue, there is a takeown command that lets you force yourself to be the new owner. Neither are very intuitive, but its sometimes easier than rebooting.
Brendan Loy
Did David K. just (half-heartedly, yes, but still) defend Microsoft against a Mac-OS-X-is-superior critique?!? DOGS AND CATS! LIVING TOGETHER! MASS HYSTERIA! FEAR!! FIRE!! FOES!! AWAKE!! APOCALYPSE NOW!!! #PANIC!!!!!!!!!
David: No, there’s definitely times where Windows is just being stupid and won’t release a file. I’ve used process explorer to do the equivalent of lsof and other such tricks and the shit simply doesn’t work.
Why is it *so much* faster to delete a large Trash through the command line than through OS X?
Are you rm -rf’ing?
Aren’t there antibiotics for that ?
Yes, Jim.
P.S. #PANIC
Different code paths, different checks going on. I’m guessing the command line method is a lot more direct and just goes ahead and removes stuff, while the empty trash command is cleaner, updating spotlight that items are not searchable anymore, etc.
Well I’d also consider the fact that the Trash can will not delete an item if there are any open file handles on the files inside, where as rm -rf will. If it’s skipping that check it could also contribute to it.
Although I’d imagine David’s idea about spotlight is probably where the bulk of the issue is.
Things like the ability to delete the contents of the Trash through the command line are one of the reasons I love OS X, you can get around weird file locking issues pretty easily with that. Windows bugs me to no end with file lock deletion errors which sometimes just seem to require a reboot to fix.
@Jim Kelly – There are a number of tricks on Windows to get around such errors depending on what they are. If its a file in use, then you can use a process explorer progrma of some sort to find what process is using the file and kill it. If its an ownership issue, there is a takeown command that lets you force yourself to be the new owner. Neither are very intuitive, but its sometimes easier than rebooting.
Did David K. just (half-heartedly, yes, but still) defend Microsoft against a Mac-OS-X-is-superior critique?!? DOGS AND CATS! LIVING TOGETHER! MASS HYSTERIA! FEAR!! FIRE!! FOES!! AWAKE!! APOCALYPSE NOW!!! #PANIC!!!!!!!!!
🙂
ha.
David: No, there’s definitely times where Windows is just being stupid and won’t release a file. I’ve used process explorer to do the equivalent of lsof and other such tricks and the shit simply doesn’t work.