Delete Directory with non empty subdirectory and files

Question

How to delete one directory having some files and some non empty sub directory.
I have tried SHFileOperation Function. It has some compatibility issue in Windows 7.
Then I have tried IFileOperation Interface. But it is not compatible in Windows XP. Then I have tried the following codes as suggested by David Heffernan :

procedure TMainForm.BitBtn01Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  FileAndDirectoryExist: TSearchRec;
  ResourceSavingPath : string;
begin
  ResourceSavingPath := (GetWinDir) + 'Web\Wallpaper\';
  if FindFirst(ResourceSavingPath + '\*', faAnyFile, FileAndDirectoryExist) = 0 then
  try
    repeat
      if (FileAndDirectoryExist.Name <> '.') and (FileAndDirectoryExist.Name <> '..') then
        if (FileAndDirectoryExist.Attr and faDirectory) <> 0 then
          //it's a directory, empty it
          ClearFolder(ResourceSavingPath +'\' + FileAndDirectoryExist.Name, mask, recursive)
        else
          //it's a file, delete it
          DeleteFile(ResourceSavingPath + '\' + FileAndDirectoryExist.Name);
    until FindNext(FileAndDirectoryExist) <> 0;
    //now that this directory is empty, we can delete it
    RemoveDir(ResourceSavingPath);
  finally
    FindClose(FileAndDirectoryExist);
  end;
end;

But it does not get compiled mentioning error as Undeclared Identifier at ClearFolder, mask and recursive. My requirement is to that "If any sub folder exist under WALLPAPER folder it will be deleted". The same sub folder may contain any number of non empty sub folder or files.

Possible duplicate of [Delphi, delete folder with content](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5716666/delphi-delete-folder-with-content) — Vadzim, May 08 '18 at 05:26

David Heffernan · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-12T11:30:02.430

Well, for starters, SHFileOperation has no compatibility issues on Windows 7 or Windows 8. Yes, you are now recommended to use IFileOperation instead. But if you want to support older operating systems like XP, then you can and should just call SHFileOperation. It works and will continue to work. It's pefectly fine to use it on Windows 7 and Windows 8 and I'll eat my hat if it's ever removed from Windows. Microsoft go to extraordinary lengths to maintain backwards compatibility. So, SHFileOperation is your best option in my view.

Your FindFirst based approach fails because you need to put it in a separate function in order to allow recursion. And the code I posted in that other answer is incomplete. Here is a complete version:

procedure DeleteDirectory(const Name: string);
var
  F: TSearchRec;
begin
  if FindFirst(Name + '\*', faAnyFile, F) = 0 then begin
    try
      repeat
        if (F.Attr and faDirectory <> 0) then begin
          if (F.Name <> '.') and (F.Name <> '..') then begin
            DeleteDirectory(Name + '\' + F.Name);
          end;
        end else begin
          DeleteFile(Name + '\' + F.Name);
        end;
      until FindNext(F) <> 0;
    finally
      FindClose(F);
    end;
    RemoveDir(Name);
  end;
end;

This deletes a directory and its contents. You'd want to walk the top level directory and then call this function for each subdirectory that you found.

Does the FindFirst also work on FTP-Server with Lazarus because i need to delete directory there — user12346352, Jul 24 '19 at 14:11

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered May 03 '13 at 08:17

Finally I have implemented the following Code:

uses
  ShellAPI;
...
...
function GetWinDir: string;
var
  WindowsDirectory: array[0..MAX_PATH] of Char;
begin
   GetWindowsDirectory(WindowsDirectory, MAX_PATH - 1);
   SetLength(Result, StrLen(WindowsDirectory));
   Result := IncludeTrailingPathDelimiter(WindowsDirectory);
end;
...
...
procedure DeleteDirectory(const DirName: string);
var
  FileFolderOperation: TSHFileOpStruct;
begin
  FillChar(FileFolderOperation, SizeOf(FileFolderOperation), 0);
  FileFolderOperation.wFunc := FO_DELETE;
  FileFolderOperation.pFrom := PChar(ExcludeTrailingPathDelimiter(DirName) + #0);
  FileFolderOperation.fFlags := FOF_SILENT or FOF_NOERRORUI or FOF_NOCONFIRMATION;
  SHFileOperation(FileFolderOperation);
end;
...
...
procedure TMainForm.BitBtn01Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  DeleteDirectory((GetWinDir) + '\Web\Wallpapers\');
end
...
...

Please don't mention anything regarding 'TrailingPathDelimiter', I have intentionally implemented. I works successfully having one problem that the files or folder successfully deleted without going to 'Recycle Bin' in case of Windows XP, but in case of Vista and higher those files goes to 'Recycle Bin' and I don't have any option for directly deletion without sending to 'Recycle Bin' in case of Vista or Higher.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 08 '14 at 12:42

This is a pretty complete function that works both with files and folders. It allows you to specify the following parameters:

DeleteToRecycle
ShowConfirm
TotalSilence

{---------------------------------------------------------------
DELETE FILE
Deletes a file/folder to RecycleBin.
----------------------------------------------------------------}

function RecycleItem(CONST ItemName: string; CONST DeleteToRecycle: Boolean= TRUE; CONST ShowConfirm: Boolean= TRUE; CONST TotalSilence: Boolean= FALSE): Boolean;
VAR
   SHFileOpStruct: TSHFileOpStruct;
begin
 FillChar(SHFileOpStruct, SizeOf(SHFileOpStruct), #0);
 SHFileOpStruct.wnd              := Application.MainForm.Handle;                                   { Others are using 0. But Application.MainForm.Handle is better because otherwise, the 'Are you sure you want to delete' will be hidden under program's window }
 SHFileOpStruct.wFunc            := FO_DELETE;
 SHFileOpStruct.pFrom            := PChar(ItemName+ #0);                                          
 SHFileOpStruct.pTo              := NIL;
 SHFileOpStruct.hNameMappings    := NIL;

 if DeleteToRecycle
 then SHFileOpStruct.fFlags:= SHFileOpStruct.fFlags OR FOF_ALLOWUNDO;

 if TotalSilence
 then SHFileOpStruct.fFlags:= SHFileOpStruct.fFlags OR FOF_NO_UI
 else
   if NOT ShowConfirm
   then SHFileOpStruct.fFlags:= SHFileOpStruct.fFlags OR FOF_NOCONFIRMATION;

 Result:= SHFileOperation(SHFileOpStruct)= 0;
end;

Delete Directory with non empty subdirectory and files

3 Answers3

Linked