iOS - FileManager won't delete json file in document directory - ios

Question

I created a file in the document directory and for some reason when I try to delete it using the code below, it doesn't get deleted. The code doesn't throw any errors, but the file is still there
let fileManager = FileManager.default
if let documentDirectory = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first {
let filePath = documentDirectory.appendingPathComponent("data.json")
do {
try fileManager.removeItem(atPath: filePath.path)
} catch let error as NSError {
print(error.localizedDescription)
}
}
I also tried to put it inside another folder and remove the folder but still the same problem.
This is the path where the file is stored :
Users/user1/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/76AFDB69-75C8-464E-93F2-6ABF622068FD/data/Containers/Data/Application/7D268156-977A-4A3C-834B-6B13FA3DE76D/Documents/

Answer 1

you can try like below
if let filePath = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first?.appendingPathComponent("data.json"), fileManager.fileExists(atPath: filePath.path) {
do {
try fileManager.removeItem(atPath: filePath.path)
} catch let error as NSError {
print(error.localizedDescription)
}
}

Answer 2

The code doesn't throw any errors, but the file is still there
No, it isn't. The problem is with the way you are checking to see whether "the file is still there". You are looking on your computer for the file. But iOS files are sandboxed. At the time you are looking, the path where the file was is completely different from your claimed path:
Users/user1/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/76AFDB69-75C8-464E-93F2-6ABF622068FD/data/Containers/Data/Application/7D268156-977A-4A3C-834B-6B13FA3DE76D/Documents/
Such paths are not permanent. They are meaningless and should not be used. The only way to know whether the file is still there is with more code from inside iOS, i.e. ask the FileManager. When you do, you will find that you are, indeed, deleting the file successfully.