trash bash script

trash.sh

#
# trash command
# move files to the trash
#
function trash {
	if [[ "$@" == "" ]]
	then
		echo "usage: trash file ..."
		return 64
	fi

	result=0
	file_count=0

	for argument in "$@"
	do
		# ignore arguments that begin with a dash
		if [[ "x$argument" == x-* ]]
		then
			continue
		fi

		# count number of arguments that look like files
		(( file_count++ ))

		# build a full path to the file specified
		if [[ -d "$argument" ]]
		then
			pushd "$argument" >/dev/null
			file_path="$(pwd)"
			popd >/dev/null
		elif [[ -e $argument ]]
		then
			pushd "$(dirname "$argument")" >/dev/null
			file_path="$(pwd)/$(basename "$argument")"
			popd >/dev/null
		else
			echo "trash: $argument: No such file or directory" >&2
			result=1
			continue
		fi

		# use the Finder to trash files correctly
		if [[ "x$file_path" != "x" ]]
		then
			osascript <<APPLESCRIPT

tell application "Finder"
	move POSIX file "$file_path" to trash
end tell
return

APPLESCRIPT

			# capture unsuccessful exit codes
			if [[ "$?" -ne 0 ]]
			then
				result=$?
			fi
		fi
	done

	# when none of the arguments look like files
	# show how to use the command
	if [[ "$file_count" -eq 0 ]]
	then
		echo "usage: trash file ..."
		return 64
	fi
	return $result
}

I add this to my bash profile so I can easily move files to the trash on Mac OS X from the command line.

It also meant to be compatible with rm, so you can alias rm=trash.