Deleting an existing file using f.delete() method

Question

String book_name = book_list.getModel().getElementAt(book_list.getSelectedIndex()).toString();
System.out.println("File name : "+book_name);

File f = new File("C:\\Users\\Surya\\Documents\\NetBeansProjects\\New_Doodle\\Library\\"+book_name);
System.out.println("Path:"+f.getAbsolutePath());

if(f.exists())
    System.out.println("Book Exists");
else
    System.out.println("Not Exixts");

if(f.isFile())
{
    System.out.println("It is File");
}
else
    System.out.println("It is Directory");

System.out.println(f.isAbsolute());
          
if (f.delete())
{
    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Book Deleted");
}
else
{
    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Operation Failed");
}

Output

File name : `Twilight03-Eclipse.pdf`  
Path: `C:\Users\Surya\Documents\NetBeansProjects\New_Doodle\Library\Twilight03-Eclipse.pdf`  
Book Exists  
It is File  
true  
Operation Failed (dialog box)  
File is not deleted

Do you get any exception? your output looks like you don't xome into your last if-else. Have you tried debugging your code? — Obl Tobl, Feb 13 '13 at 06:44
If i use "Files.delete(path)" method, then it is showing that it is being used by another process... — Surya, Feb 13 '13 at 06:59
Importantly, the code is working fine for other drive files, but not for Local Disk(C:\\)... I also gave full control in the file security properties.... — Surya, Feb 13 '13 at 07:04
@Arpit, I know that... But i dont know which process is using it... because i didn't any operations on the file... First operation is delete only... — Surya, Feb 13 '13 at 07:07
@Surya Can you delete the file manually (from a file explorer)? — assylias, Feb 13 '13 at 07:09

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 13 '13 at 06:51

1

Use the java.nio.file package to find out why your delete operation fails. It gives you a detailed reason for the same.

answered Feb 13 '13 at 06:51

Aniket Inge

25,375
5
50
78

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:15

A deletion may fail due to one or more reasons:

File does not exist (use File#exists() to test).
File is locked (because it is opened by another app (or your own code!).
You are not authorized (but that would have thrown a SecurityException, not returned false!).

This function could help:

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.";
    }
}

How to tell why a file deletion fails in Java?

I have seen the same answer by CoryPetosky – Aniket Inge Feb 13 '13 at 06:54 — Aniket Inge, Feb 13 '13 at 06:54
`File exist` and `isFile` is checked in OP. – Arpit Feb 13 '13 at 06:56 — Arpit, Feb 13 '13 at 06:56

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 03 '16 at 08:09

public class Example {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
         try{
             File file = new File("C:/ProgramData/Logs/" + selectedJLItem);

             if(file.delete()){
                 System.out.println(file.getName() + " Was deleted!");
             }else{
                 System.out.println("Delete Operation Failed. Check: " + file);
             }
         }catch(Exception e1){
             e1.printStackTrace();
         }
    }
}

Deleting an existing file using f.delete() method

Output

3 Answers3