How to efficiently delete all files in a document library?

Question

I am looking for a clear, complete example of programmatically deleting all documents from a specific document library, via the Sharepoint object model. The doclib does not contain folders. I am looking to delete the documents completely (ie I don't want them in the Recycle Bin).

I know of SPWeb.ProcessBatchData, but somehow it never seems to work for me.

Thanks!

Do you have access to the WSS or MOSS environment? I am thinking a PowerShell script added either ran one time or as a scheduled task would benefit you. — websch01ar, Oct 31 '08 at 20:49
This is for WSS. I don't think a PowerShell script would do the job, since I have to perform the deletion from within an event receiver. — Paul Lalonde, Oct 31 '08 at 20:58
What issue you are Facing in the ProcessBatchData ? Lets us know that will be Simplest Option to do this. — Kusek, Jun 18 '09 at 11:44

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 01 '08 at 18:14

8

I would persevere with the ProcessBatchData approach, maybe this will help:

Vincent Rothwell has covered this best: http://blog.thekid.me.uk/archive/2007/02/24/deleting-a-considerable-number-of-items-from-a-list-in-sharepoint.aspx

Otherwise I'm not sure the other recommendation will work, as a Foreach loop will not like that the number of items in the collection changes with each delete.

You are probably best placed doing a reverse for loop (I didn't test this code, just an example):

for (int i = SPItems.Length - 1; i >= 0; i--)
{
    SPListItem item = SPItems[i];
    item.File.Delete();
}

answered Nov 01 '08 at 18:14

Daniel McPherson

789
5
14

2

while(list.Items.Count>0){list.Items[list.Items.Count-1].File.Delete();} – Nat Nov 03 '08 at 01:29
1

The ProcessBatchData() approach is faster by several orders of magnitute. – vitule Sep 01 '09 at 17:33
I never got ProcessBatchData to function properly. – Paul Lalonde Sep 08 '09 at 14:15
4

The link to the blogpost is broken. – axk Oct 20 '12 at 10:02

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 22 '09 at 14:54

3

This is not the right way of deleting items. Follow post here http://praveenbattula.blogspot.com/2009/05/deleting-list-items-at-time-from-list.html

edited Oct 22 '09 at 14:54

Matthew Murdoch

30,874
30
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127

answered Jun 18 '09 at 11:23

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 31 '08 at 20:52

You just have to go through all the files of your Document Library.

foreach(SPListItem item in SPContext.Current.Web.Lists["YourDocLibName"].Items)
{
    //TODO: Verify that the file is not checked-out before deleting
    item.File.Delete();
}

Calling the delete method on a file from the API doesn't use the recycle bin. It's a straight delete. You still need to verify that the file is not checked-out.

Here is some reference:

too slow. Use ProcessBatchData() – vitule Sep 01 '09 at 17:33 — vitule, Sep 01 '09 at 17:33

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 26 '11 at 16:33

Powershell way:

function ProcessFolder {
    param($folderUrl)
    $folder = $web.GetFolder($folderUrl)
    foreach ($file in $folder.Files) {
        #Ensure destination directory
        $destinationfolder = $destination + "/" + $folder.Url 
        if (!(Test-Path -path $destinationfolder))
        {
            $dest = New-Item $destinationfolder -type directory 
        }
         #Delete file by deleting parent SPListItem
        $list.Items.DeleteItemById($file.Item.Id)
    }
}

#Delete root Files
ProcessFolder($list.RootFolder.Url)

#Delete files from Folders or Document Sets
foreach ($folder in $list.Folders) {
    ProcessFolder($folder.Url)
}

How to efficiently delete all files in a document library?

4 Answers4