IRAF help page for package system, program protect

• files

protect files

files

Protect asserts protection from deletion for the specified files. A protected file can be deleted only by first "unprotecting" it. File protection is preserved when a file is copied or renamed, even when copied or renamed to a remote network node, but may be lost when a file is backed up on tape and later restored (depending upon what utility one uses). Note that imagefiles are automatically protected to prevent accidental deletion of the header file, leaving a "zombie" pixel file somewhere on disk.

1. Protect the file "paper.ms" from deletion, accidental or otherwise.

cl> protect paper.ms

2. Protect all the ".ms" files from deletion.

cl> protect *.ms

unprotect, delete,