---
name: "pm-clean"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ncbi-entrez-direct"
version: "24.0.20250523+dfsg-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pm-clean"
---

# pm-clean(1)

clean a local NCBI Entrez Direct archive

## NAME

pm-clean - clean a local NCBI Entrez Direct archive

## SYNOPSIS

**pm-clean** **-db** *database* \[**-fields** *fields*\] \[**-**\]**clean**\|\[**-**\]**clear**\|\[**-**\]**scrap**\|\[**-**\]**scrub**\|\[**-**\]**scour**\|\[**-**\]**erase**\|\[**-**\]**zap**\|\[**-**\]**scratch**

## DESCRIPTION

**pm-clean** cleans part or all of a local NCBI Entrez Direct archive.

## OPTIONS

- **-db** *database*

  Specific database to clean.

- **-fields** *fields*

  **Postings** directories to delete in **-scratch** mode; **none** by default. Whitespace serves as the only delimiter, typically entailing shell quoting.

- \[**-**\]**clean**\|\[**-**\]**clear**

  Delete **Indices** contents and **Increment** files.

- \[**-**\]**scrap**

  Delete all **Postings** directories.

- \[**-**\]**scrub**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, and all **Postings** directories.

- \[**-**\]**scour**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, and all **Postings**, **Data**, **Archive**, and **Sentinel** directories.

- \[**-**\]**erase**

  Delete **Indices** contents, **Increment** files, all **Postings**, **Data**, **Archive**, and **Sentinel** directories, and **Extras** directory contents.

- \[**-**\]**zap**

  Delete entire archive.

- \[**-**\]**scratch**

  Delete **Scratch** directories and any **Postsings** directories specified by **-fields**.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **EDIRECT\_LOCAL\_ARCHIVE**

  Local archive directory to use; expected to hold an absolute path.

## SEE ALSO

[**archive-nihocc**(1)](/archive-nihocc/1.md), [**archive-nlmnlp**(1)](/archive-nlmnlp/1.md), [**archive-nmcds**(1)](/archive-nmcds/1.md), [**archive-pids**(1)](/archive-pids/1.md), [**archive-pmc**(1)](/archive-pmc/1.md), [**archive-pubmed**(1)](/archive-pubmed/1.md), [**archive-taxonomy**(1)](/archive-taxonomy/1.md), [**pm-prepare**(1)](/pm-prepare/1.md), [**pm-refresh**(1)](/pm-refresh/1.md), [**rchive**(1)](/rchive/1.md).