Delete Directory with non empty subdirectory and files - delphi

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.

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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;