No matter what, it won't delete

Newbie & Debugging Questions
#1

Seems File#delete() on Java 6 kinda fails (or not robust). Many people experienced this. Suggestions over internet that I have tried,

  • Call System.gc() before deletion
  • Close all stream, buffered, or what
  • check if it’s exists, writeable, and delete() return true. Unfortunately they’re all true.
#2

do this:

new FileOutputStream(theFileToDelete).close();

and it will throw an exception describing the problem.

Please note that if it works fine, the file is truncated (length = zero), which shouldn’t be a problem, as you were about to delete it anyway.

#3

Nope, nothing thrown.

#4

I bet you’re trying to delete something in the /bin folder in an Eclipse project, and Eclipse quickly scurries off and copies the corresponding file back from /src. Well, maybe. Otherwise I’ve found deletion to work perfectly fine since the dawn of time.

Cas :slight_smile:

#5

You lose the bet :slight_smile: I tried to delete files inside a directory at user.home. The directory is created by this same program. Since I use System#getProperty, I believe I’m using absolute path.

My trolling mind tells me to go for native dll library just to delete.

#6

In windows? If you created it in user.home, the indexer might have it open.

#7

Can you delete the file manually?

#8

delete shouldnt return true in any case in which it isnt actually deleted

maybe you recreate the file yourself automatically ? ;D

#9

Flawlessly, straight to recycle bin :wink:

;D I’ll whack my program hardly if it creates new one right after I call my delete method. “I never taught you that!”.

I haven’t tried Java 7 yet, but some folks out there say it’s fixed with it. Oh yeah this also only happens on Win 7 as far I read.

#10

Some guy online posted this and apparently it works:

#11

That code is just voodoo nonsense.

Cas :slight_smile:

#12

Have you tried writing a small test case that only deletes that file?

#13

As an aside to the issue: it sounds like you could be creating a temp file, if so…why not use the API for that.

#14

Not yet, too lazy.

You mean File#createTempFile? it adds some magic numbers right after my file’s name :cranky:

#15

…and coupled with deleteOnExit and proper termination?

#16

I haven’t tried deleteOnExit yet but it maybe work. Proper termination? I always use System.exit(0) with some of my closing methods (saving data, release everything that has close(), dispose(), cleanup() etc).

#17

Does it work to delete a file in another folder such as “C:\ReBirthTest”?

#18

Yes. Does this have something to do with administrator thing?

#19

Do this. Otherwise you’re just wasting everybodies time. :persecutioncomplex:

#20

Aye captain!

…

Holy nut! they did! :o