Trying to delete a directory

jdiperla · Jan 31, 2013

As the title suggests. The instructions indicated tell me that this should work, but its not:

B4X:

Sub gUnIn_Click()
If File.Delete(File.DirRootExternal & "/Lock/" & Main.lockdir & "/", "") = True Then

Msgbox("lock deleted", "")
Activity.Finish
End If
End Sub

Mahares · Jan 31, 2013

You will need to delete all the files inside the folder before you can delete the folder. This works if the folder is empty:

B4X:

If File.Delete(File.DirRootExternal & "/jdiperla", "") = True Then
   Msgbox("folder deleted", "")
Else
   Msgbox("NOT deleted", "")
End If

jdiperla · Jan 31, 2013

Is there a function that would delete the contents of the directory easily? Or am I going to have to use a loop of some sort?

Mahares · Jan 31, 2013

You can easily loop through the files and delete each programmatically like this:

B4X:

Dim MyList As List
MyList.initialize
Dim MyFile As String
MyList=File.ListFiles(File.DirRootExternal & "/perla")
For i= MyList.Size-1 To 0 Step -1
   MyFile=MyList.Get(i)
   File.Delete(File.DirRootExternal & "/perla",MyFile)
Next

jdiperla · Jan 31, 2013

Cool Thanks. That works. Lol. I discovered MLFiles which simplifies the process, but I just tried yours as well. Both work well. Thanks again for your help!

Mahares · Jan 31, 2013

@jdiperla: Could you please share your MLfiles code that is equivalent to mine to give us all different options, particularly since you think it is simpler.
Thanks

jdiperla · Jan 31, 2013

Sure! Just keep in mind you also need the smb/CIFS library installed alongside MLFiles. Here is my code:

B4X:

dim mlhandle as mlfiles
If mlhandle.rmrf(File.DirRootExternal  "/lock/") = True Then
Msgbox("lock has been uninstalled", "")
Activity.Finish
Else
Msgbox ("The lock has not been uninstalled","")
End If

francoisg · Apr 4, 2013

Hi, modified Mahares's code a bit to allow for auto sub-folder deletes as well.

Sub CheckPath (Path As String) As String
If Path.EndsWith("/") Then
Return Path
Else
Return Path & "/"
End If
End Sub

Sub ClearPath (Path As String, RemovePath As Boolean)
Dim fileList As List
fileList.initialize
fileList = File.ListFiles(Path)
For i=fileList.Size-1 To 0 Step -1
Dim fileName As String = fileList.Get(i)
If File.IsDirectory(Path, fileName) Then ClearPath(CheckPath (Path) & fileName, True) ' *** Clear contained directory 1'st ...
File.Delete(Path, fileName)
Next
' *** Remove folder if specified ...
If RemovePath Then
If Path.EndsWith("/") Then Path = Path.SubString2(0, Path.Length-1)
Dim p As Int = Path.LastIndexOf("/")
Dim dName As String = Path.SubString(p + 1)
Path = Path.SubString2(0, p + 1)
File.Delete(Path, dName)
End If
End Sub

aidymp · Aug 25, 2015

francoisg said:
Hi, modified Mahares's code a bit to allow for auto sub-folder deletes as well.

Sub CheckPath (Path As String) As String
If Path.EndsWith("/") Then
Return Path
Else
Return Path & "/"
End If
End Sub

Sub ClearPath (Path As String, RemovePath As Boolean)
Dim fileList As List
fileList.initialize
fileList = File.ListFiles(Path)
For i=fileList.Size-1 To 0 Step -1
Dim fileName As String = fileList.Get(i)
If File.IsDirectory(Path, fileName) Then ClearPath(CheckPath (Path) & fileName, True) ' *** Clear contained directory 1'st ...
File.Delete(Path, fileName)
Next
' *** Remove folder if specified ...
If RemovePath Then
If Path.EndsWith("/") Then Path = Path.SubString2(0, Path.Length-1)
Dim p As Int = Path.LastIndexOf("/")
Dim dName As String = Path.SubString(p + 1)
Path = Path.SubString2(0, p + 1)
File.Delete(Path, dName)
End If
End Sub

Hi, I use this to delete a large folder and sub directories, I don't get any errors, but it can take a long time, and everything in the app freeze's until its complete this can take upto 5 minutes! is there a way I can make this run without holding up the queue?

*****EDIT I have now inserted the DoEvents Command and my UI updates but stutters quite bad! If I could make it smooth It would be great!

Thanks

Aidy

Erel · Aug 25, 2015

You can use the code I posted here to recursively delete a folder: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/folder-remove.57304/#post-360773

I'm not sure whether it will be faster or not.

aidymp · Aug 25, 2015

Erel said:
You can use the code I posted here to recursively delete a folder: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/folder-remove.57304/#post-360773

I'm not sure whether it will be faster or not.

Thank you for that, its not the speed, thats the problem I have replaced the sub with the one you suggested, and added a DoEvents in the loop, its still quite jittery. Im wondering if I can either get the OS to do the deletion, or maybe some background service, the directory I want to delete can vary in size from 100meg to 2-3Gbs! as I said its not the speed, I would just like to show the user something is happening, rather than just say wait and display a jittery animation.

Thanks

Aidy

DonManfred · Aug 26, 2015

aidymp said:
the directory I want to delete can vary in size from 100meg to 2-3Gbs! as I said its not the speed, I would just like to show the user something is happening

Have you tried to use it in a service OR the threading library?

aidymp · Aug 26, 2015

DonManfred said:
Have you tried to use it in a service OR the threading library?

I haven't tried this but I will look now, i have never tried the modules as they are a bit above me, but im going to give it ago.

Thanks for the pointer.

Aidy

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