Delete files from directory if filename contains a certain word

Question

I need to check a directory to see if there are any files whose file name contains a specific keyword and if there are, to delete them. Is this possible?

For example, delete all existing files in "C:\Folder" whose file name contains the keyword "Apple".

score 59 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 25 '09 at 08:54

To expand on Henk's answer, you need:

string rootFolderPath = @"C:\\SomeFolder\\AnotherFolder\\FolderCOntainingThingsToDelete";
string filesToDelete = @"*DeleteMe*.doc";   // Only delete DOC files containing "DeleteMe" in their filenames
string[] fileList = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(rootFolderPath, filesToDelete);
foreach(string file in fileList)
{
    System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(file + "will be deleted");
//  System.IO.File.Delete(file);
}

BE VERY CAREFUL!

Note that I've commented out the delete command. Run it and test it carefully before you let it actually delete anything!

If you wish to recursively delete files in ALL subfolders of the root folder, add ,System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories); to the GetFiles call.

If you do this it is also a very good idea to refuse to run if the rootFolderPath is less than about 4 characters long (a simple protection against deleting everything in C:\ - I've been there and done that and it's not fun!!!)

And don't forget to catch exceptions, to handle situations where the file is in use, or access is denied, etc. — Bryan, Oct 25 '09 at 09:17

Henk Holterman · Answer 2 · 2009-10-25T09:12:30.957

8

You can use System.IO.Directory.GetFiles() to a list of the files, in string[] format.

~~Then you can use System.IO.File.ReadAllText() to read complete files, or if they are very big, open a TextReader with System.IO.File.OpenText().~~

If you are looking for a literal keyword, String.Contains() is all you need.

Deleting a file can be done with System.IO.File.Delete(). Make sure the file is closed again.

Edit, 2 examples of GetFiles():

string[] fileNames = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\");
string[] fileNames = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\", @"*.sys");

edited Oct 25 '09 at 09:12

answered Oct 25 '09 at 08:36

Henk Holterman

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Whoops, guess I should have worded it a bit different. I don't need to check within the file itself, but rather just the file name. – user Oct 25 '09 at 08:39
Then you can skip the ReadAllText/TextReader steps. – Henk Holterman Oct 25 '09 at 08:40
There is no need to read all text. E.g. if File starts with Apple and it is 50mb... The better way is to read files sequentially with slide window. – Ilya Khaprov Oct 25 '09 at 08:40
Trickster, see the TextReader part. – Henk Holterman Oct 25 '09 at 08:41
@Nate: the `System.IO.Directory.GetFiles` method that Henk suggests in his answer gives you the filenames as a string array. – Fredrik Mörk Oct 25 '09 at 09:08

score 7 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 23 '11 at 16:41

7

new List<string>(Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Folder")).ForEach(file => {
    if (file.IndexOf("apple", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) >= 0)
        File.Delete(file);
});

or

new List<string>(Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Folder")).ForEach(file => {
    Regex re = new Regex("apple", RegexOptions.IgnoreCase);
    if (re.IsMatch(file))
        File.Delete(file);
});

edited Nov 23 '11 at 16:41

hammar

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answered Nov 23 '11 at 16:33

Keith

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score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 25 '09 at 08:58

5

More or less, this:

string DeleteThis = "apple";
string[] Files = Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Folder");

foreach (string file in Files)
{
    if (file.ToUpper().Contains(DeleteThis.ToUpper()))
    {
        File.Delete(file);
    }
}

answered Oct 25 '09 at 08:58

Kyle Rosendo

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 25 '09 at 11:20

0

new List<string>(Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Folder")).ForEach(file => { if (file.ToUpper().Contains("apple".ToUpper())) File.Delete(file); });

answered Oct 25 '09 at 11:20

Antony Koch

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Delete files from directory if filename contains a certain word

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