How to remove directories using c++ in windows - c++

Question

I'm trying to remove directories using this code, but this wouldn't work. And, I couldn't found the issue. Maybe lack of privileges on the deletion operation on Windows?
Here is the code that I'm using:
#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
#include <conio.h>
int DeleteDirectory(const std::string &refcstrRootDirectory,
bool bDeleteSubdirectories = true)
{
bool bSubdirectory = false; // Flag, indicating whether
// subdirectories have been found
HANDLE hFile; // Handle to directory
std::string strFilePath; // Filepath
std::string strPattern; // Pattern
WIN32_FIND_DATA FileInformation; // File information
strPattern = refcstrRootDirectory + "\\*.*";
hFile = ::FindFirstFile((LPCWSTR)strPattern.c_str(), &FileInformation);
if (hFile != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
{
do
{
if (FileInformation.cFileName[0] != '.')
{
strFilePath.erase();
strFilePath = refcstrRootDirectory + "\\" + (char*)FileInformation.cFileName;
if (FileInformation.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY)
{
if (bDeleteSubdirectories)
{
// Delete subdirectory
int iRC = DeleteDirectory(strFilePath, bDeleteSubdirectories);
if (iRC)
return iRC;
}
else
bSubdirectory = true;
}
else
{
// Set file attributes
if (::SetFileAttributes((LPCWSTR)strFilePath.c_str(),
FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) == FALSE)
return ::GetLastError();
// Delete file
if (::DeleteFile((LPCTSTR)strFilePath.c_str()) == FALSE)
return ::GetLastError();
}
}
} while (::FindNextFile(hFile, &FileInformation) == TRUE);
// Close handle
::FindClose(hFile);
DWORD dwError = ::GetLastError();
if (dwError != ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES)
return dwError;
else
{
if (!bSubdirectory)
{
// Set directory attributes
if (::SetFileAttributes((LPCWSTR)refcstrRootDirectory.c_str(),
FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) == FALSE)
return ::GetLastError();
// Delete directory
if (::RemoveDirectory((LPCWSTR)refcstrRootDirectory.c_str()) == FALSE)
return ::GetLastError();
}
}
}
return 0;
}
int main()
{
int iRC = 0;
std::string strDirectoryToDelete = "C:\\Users\\AbysCo\\Desktop\\del";
// Delete 'c:\mydir' without deleting the subdirectories
iRC = DeleteDirectory(strDirectoryToDelete, false);
if (iRC)
{
std::cout << "Error " << iRC << std::endl;
return -1;
}
// Delete 'c:\mydir' and its subdirectories
iRC = DeleteDirectory(strDirectoryToDelete);
if (iRC)
{
std::cout << "Error " << iRC << std::endl;
return -1;
}
// Wait for keystroke
_getch();
return 0;
}
OS: Windows 7 SP1.
Any brilliant idea, please?

Answer 1

The Windows API already comes with a function to delete entire directories. That is SHFileOperation. And on Vista or later you use IFileOperation for the same purpose.
Not only does this make the process trivial, not much more than a one liner, but it has other benefits:
You can put the deleted directory into the recycle bin if you choose.
You can show the standard system progress dialog if you choose.