File.Delete Access to the path is denied

Question

My console application program is creating some runtime files while it is working so what I want to do is delete all of these files on the application startup. I have tried this:

public static void Empty(string targetDir)
{
    var directory = new DirectoryInfo(targetDir);
    if (!directory.Exists) return;
    foreach (var file in directory.GetFiles()) file.Delete();
    foreach (var subDirectory in directory.GetDirectories()) subDirectory.Delete(true);
}

...just to look for all the files/folders in the given path (which is in a subdirectory in the program execution path) then delete them. However, I get the following exception:

Access to the path 'file' is denied.

I tried to run the program as administrator with no luck; However, I want a solution that works without using administrator privileges.

Notes :

The file is not running in another application.
The file is not in a protected folder.
The file can be deleted manually with no problems and that's why i am here.

Just a doubt: Are you really deleting all files in the application path? — Ricardo Souza, Mar 06 '13 at 23:23
I just want to say that because your program is also a file. — Ricardo Souza, Mar 06 '13 at 23:23
Ofc No, the files i am deleting are in a subdirectory located in the app path. — Roman Ratskey, Mar 06 '13 at 23:27
What is the actual value the error message gives? You've substituted `'file'` there.. — Simon Whitehead, Mar 06 '13 at 23:27
yes, see which one is complaining, that should be easy to trace - there could be couple things. Also try deleting that file manually etc. You have a very clear case for debugging — NSGaga-mostly-inactive, Mar 06 '13 at 23:30
just an assumption, can you create a list of files outside of foreach and loop through it? — VladL, Mar 06 '13 at 23:34
FileInfo[] fi = directory.GetFiles(); foreach(var file in fi) file.Delete(); and same for directory. Maybe enumarator causes the problem — VladL, Mar 06 '13 at 23:38
@Xaqron really? :D actually what I assume is that GetFiles() returns Ienumerable, which is created by yielded return, which could cause problems if one or more files are missing after the first remove — VladL, Mar 06 '13 at 23:48
@VladL you are thinking of "InvalidOperationException - collection was modified" but in this case there is an "access denied" — EdmundYeung99, Mar 10 '13 at 19:50
Alternative answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/648055/3543437 — kayleeFrye_onDeck, Jan 20 '16 at 21:50
Possible duplicate of [How do I delete a directory with read-only files in C#?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/611921/how-do-i-delete-a-directory-with-read-only-files-in-c) — Michael Freidgeim, Mar 23 '17 at 03:17

score 12 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 08 '13 at 14:47

12

I got this error and found that it was because my test files were readonly. Changed this and I can now use fileinfo to delete them no worries.

answered Jul 08 '13 at 14:47

majjam

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score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 10 '17 at 02:25

7

if (File.Exists(filePath))
{
    File.SetAttributes(filePath, FileAttributes.Normal);
    File.Delete(filePath);
}

answered Aug 10 '17 at 02:25

roderickprince

231
1
4
10

1

Though this might answer the question, please also add a short explanation what your code does and why it solves the initial problem. – user1438038 Aug 10 '17 at 07:04

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 07 '13 at 00:36

You say that the files are not open in another application, but it must be open within your application:

//Create some directories to delete
Directory.CreateDirectory("C:/Temp/DeleteMe");
Directory.CreateDirectory("C:/Temp/DeleteMe/DeleteMe");
File.Create("C:/Temp/DeleteMe/DeleteMeFile");//FileStream still open!!

//Delete the files
var directory = new DirectoryInfo("C:/Temp/DeleteMe");
if (!directory.Exists) return;
foreach (FileInfo file in directory.GetFiles())
{
    file.Delete();
}
foreach (DirectoryInfo dir in directory.GetDirectories())
{
    dir.Delete(true);
}

Make sure you dispose the file stream when you create the file

//Create some directories to delete
Directory.CreateDirectory("C:/Temp/DeleteMe");
Directory.CreateDirectory("C:/Temp/DeleteMe/DeleteMe");
using (File.Create("C:/Temp/DeleteMe/DeleteMeFile")) { }

//Delete the files
var directory = new DirectoryInfo("C:/Temp/DeleteMe");
if (!directory.Exists) return;
foreach (FileInfo file in directory.GetFiles())
{
    file.Delete();
}
foreach (DirectoryInfo dir in directory.GetDirectories())
{
    dir.Delete(true);
}

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 06 '13 at 23:54

3

Try using the Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem methods as it has a handy DeleteDirectory method, I had access troubles awhile ago and this was the fix for my problem.

var directory = new DirectoryInfo(targetDir);
if (directory.Exists)
{
    Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem.DeleteDirectory(targetDir, Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.DeleteDirectoryOption.DeleteAllContents);
}

edited Mar 06 '13 at 23:54

Mitch Wheat

295,962
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answered Mar 06 '13 at 23:49

sa_ddam213

42,848
7
101
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ehm is this exists in .Net 2 ? – Roman Ratskey Mar 06 '13 at 23:51
First i think this is a visual basic code also, i can't find this in .Net 2 – Roman Ratskey Mar 06 '13 at 23:55
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.visualbasic.fileio.filesystem.deletedirectory(v=vs.80).aspx – Mitch Wheat Mar 07 '13 at 00:01
1

You will have to add the reference `Microsoft.VisualBasic` – sa_ddam213 Mar 07 '13 at 00:33

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 06 '13 at 23:31

2

Using Windows API MoveFileEx might be a potential solution with a parameter MOVEFILE_DELAY_UNTIL_REBOOT to remove the file only after reboot.

Please check http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365240%28v=vs.85%29.aspx.

answered Mar 06 '13 at 23:31

Eventually the easiest way it would be to call native code, from C#. A quick search shows a nice example that will certainly cheer you up: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6077869/movefile-function-in-c-sharp-delete-file-after-reboot-c-sharp – Jul 14 '13 at 18:22

File.Delete Access to the path is denied

5 Answers5

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