How to handle unusual file or directory names

As an example we use the command touch.

Single quotes: Create the file 'FILE1'

touch "'FILE1'"

Double quotes: Create the file FILE"2"

touch FILE\"2\"

Blanks: Create the file FILE 3

touch "FILE 3"

touch FILE\ 3

Generally the backslash (\) can be used to handle special characters:

Create the file FILE$4

touch FILE\$4

Create the file FILE\4

touch FILE\\4

Leading dashes are an exception, touch \-FILE5 will not work. To create the file -FILE5 use instead

touch -- -FILE5

touch ./-FILE5

The "--" means no options will follow, take everything as arguments

File or directory names containing a slash are not allowed.