Can't delete file after being renamed (file is opened)

Question

I am using icefaces to upload files to relative path in my web app (mywebapp/audio), then after the file is getting uploaded I rename it to save its extension as follows:

public static File changeExtToWav(FileInfo fileInfo,
            StringBuffer originalFileName) {
        log.debug("changeExtToWav");
        int mid = fileInfo.getFile().getName().lastIndexOf(".");
        String fileName = fileInfo.getFile().getName().substring(0, mid);
        originalFileName.append(fileName);
        log.debug("originalFileName: " + originalFileName);
        String newFileName = fileName + "_" + new Date().getTime() + "."
                + "wav";
        File newFile = new File(fileInfo.getFile().getParent() + "/"
                + newFileName);
        log.debug("newFileName: " + newFile.getName());
        fileInfo.getFile().renameTo(newFile);
        return newFile;
    }

after the file is getting uploaded, sometimes I want to delete it from UI button as follows:

try {

            File fileToDelete = new File(filePath); // correct file path
            log.debug("file exists: " + fileToDelete.exists()); // true
            fileToDelete.delete();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

the file path is correct, and I get no exceptions, but the file is not deleted (I am using java 6 btw). please advise how to fix this issue.

UPDATE: using the following useful method, I can get that the file is opened, any ideas how to close it ?

public String getReasonForFileDeletionFailureInPlainEnglish(File file) {
    try {
        if (!file.exists())
            return "It doesn't exist in the first place.";
        else if (file.isDirectory() && file.list().length > 0)
            return "It's a directory and it's not empty.";
        else
            return "Somebody else has it open, we don't have write permissions, or somebody stole my disk.";
    } catch (SecurityException e) {
        return "We're sandboxed and don't have filesystem access.";
    }
}

did you release all resources associated with the file you're trying to delete? — user1329572, Jul 08 '12 at 12:51
Check this link : http://stackoverflow.com/q/1729049/1140748, it can help you know the reason of the deletion fail. — alain.janinm, Jul 08 '12 at 13:15
@alain.janinm, thanks for the useful link, from it i can get that the file is used. — Mahmoud Saleh, Jul 08 '12 at 13:54

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 08 '12 at 14:28

Well if the file is open, then there is two solutions :

You have a stream in your program open on this file. Note that afaik it's a problem on Windows, with Unix I can delete a File even if a stream is opened on it.
You have an other process using this file. So in this case you can't do anything from Java.

In the log it tells also that it can be a permission problem, are you sure you have enough privileges?

You can also use Files#delete(Path path) (jdk7) to have more details about the issue.

Can't delete file after being renamed (file is opened)

1 Answers1