How to automatically overwrite the output file when running `gpg` (i.e. without being prompted)?

Question

If I have the same filename in the target directory, decryption fails.

The command I'm using to decrypt:

gpg --passphrase-fd 0 -o D:/Notification/mytest.txt --batch \
  --passphrase-file D:/passphrase.txt -d D:/Notification/mytest.gpg

It doesn't overwrite the mytest.txt file so each time I need to delete the file before I execute the script.

Is there any option to overwrite the output fie?

@wisbucky except if you need root permissions for the file, and you don't necessarily want to `tee` it... — xeruf, Jan 28 '23 at 18:31

score 113 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 03 '16 at 13:06

113

Adding --batch --yes

Example:

gpg --batch --yes -u me@bbb.com -r "you@aaa.com" \
  --output "OUTPUTFILENAME.xls.pgp" -a -s -e "FILE.xls"

Complete example with passphrase file:

gpg --batch --yes --passphrase-fd 0 -u me@bbb.com -r "you@aaa.com" \
  --output "OUTPUTFILENAME.xls.pgp" -a -s -e "FILE.xls"< \
  passphrase.txt

edited Sep 03 '16 at 13:06

Kenster

answered Mar 14 '12 at 19:09

Tanya K.

1

please explain why both flags are needed – xeruf Jan 28 '23 at 18:31
In my experience, just `gpg --yes --dearmor ...` worked fine – Carl Walsh Aug 31 '23 at 22:23

score 40 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 22 '11 at 18:08

40

Just add the --yes option to you command line. The --yes option assumes yes for most questions which gpg will prompt for.

answered Sep 22 '11 at 18:08

David Mills

15

Isn't that dangerous, in that it will answer "yes" to questions other than "file exists - overwrite?" – OJW Dec 30 '12 at 14:15
Agreed! gpg asks you if you have not signed the recipients keys, and you will be saying "yes", right? – Edd Barrett Nov 29 '17 at 16:10
6

`rm -f filename.gpg && gpg2 [...] -o filename.gpg filename` may be appropriate in most cases. – AndiDog Mar 22 '18 at 15:43

2 Answers2