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I am creating MSI installer via VS 2008. I try to delete the temp folder at the end of the installation. That temp folder is created by my installer to hold some batch files for database creation. It always show other process is access it and doesn't allow my code to delete it. I have called the Close() of that access process. I have put sleep before the code to delete it. Nothing helpful.

Do you have any idea how I can delete it at the end of the installation?

thanks,

5YrsLaterDBA
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3 Answers3

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I'll address the conceptual problems in your setup first:

  • First off, as "Vinay B R" said, be sure your "temp" folder is beneath the Windows %TEMP% folder. That way, you can leave the files there if you fail to delete them.

  • Why exactly do you want to delete the batch files when you're done? There is no expectation that you clean up after yourself inside of the %TEMP% folder.

  • If you want to ensure the user doesn't run them again, then you could name them with a different file extension (e.g. ".tmp" instead of .bat), execute them using this method described here, then leave them behind:

    cmd < "%TEMP%foo.tmp"

  • If you are trying to delete files because you don't want the user to have access to them, then by deleting them you will only protect yourself against casual users.


If you still want to delete the files, then:

  • In all likelihood your own process is locking your folder. Using Process Explorer will likely point to msiexec.exe or cmd.exe. No doubt you are able to manually delete the folder once MSI and SQL have exited, right? If so, then your own process isn't terminating right away. Find out why. Is SQL taking longer than you think, perhaps?

  • As an alternative to Aliostad's method, here is the "other flavor" listed in this article. As he wrote, however, it would be best for you to determine why it's locked.

Process.Start("cmd.exe", "/C choice /C Y /N /D Y /T 3 & Del " +
    Application.ExecutablePath);
Application.Exit();


Here is a working sample in C#. If your users will have .NET installed, then you can invoke this as a custom action using the WiX DTF (install WiX, then in Visual Studio select New Project -> Windows Installer XML -> C# Custom Action Project).:

// Note: This can also be used to delete this .exe (i.e.
// System.Windows.Forms.Application.ExecutablePath).
//
public static void AsynchDeleteFolder(string myTempFolderPath)
{
    ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo();

    // Don't create a visible DOS box.
    info.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
    info.CreateNoWindow = true;

    // Wait 3 seconds ("/T 3").
    info.Arguments = @"/C choice /C Y /N /D Y /T 3 & rmdir /S /Q """ +
        myTempFolderPath + @"""";

    info.FileName = "cmd.exe";
    Process.Start(info);
}


If you would rather execute just the applicable portion as a batch file, then you can avoid the DOS window by following this method.:

' Filename: Run_a_batch_file_with_no_popup_dos_box.vbs
'
' Invoke like this from the command line:
' wscript.exe Run_a_batch_file_with_no_popup_dos_box.vbs "c:\path with spaces to my file name.bat"
'
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & WScript.Arguments.Item(0) & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing
Community
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user3454591
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0

Did you try Filemon to see who is accessing the temp folder when delete is called on the folder? Its better you use the system temp folder path 

System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("TEMP")

you need not worry about cleaning it up.

Vinay B R
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0

I can think of creating a batch file in the temp folder to run which runs as the last step. You put a pause in it by using ping (http://www.robvanderwoude.com/wait.php) and then after a few seconds (that installer has exited) delete the folder by using parameter passed:

PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 60000 >NUL
rd "%1"

This is really a hack. It is better to root out what locks your folder.

Aliostad
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