Delete files, directories, or links

file_delete() and link_delete() delete file and links. Compared to file.remove they always fail if they cannot delete the object rather than changing return value or signalling a warning. If any inputs are directories, they are passed to dir_delete(), so file_delete() can therefore be used to delete any filesystem object.

dir_delete() will first delete the contents of the directory, then remove the directory. Compared to unlink it will always throw an error if the directory cannot be deleted rather than being silent or signalling a warning.

file_delete(path)

dir_delete(path)

link_delete(path)

Arguments

path	A character vector of one or more paths.

Value

The deleted paths (invisibly).

Examples

.old_wd <- setwd(tempdir())
# create a directory, with some files and a link to it
dir_create("dir")
files <- file_create(path("dir", letters[1:5]))
link <- link_create(path_abs("dir"), "link")

# All files created
dir_exists("dir")
#>  dir 
#> TRUE 
file_exists(files)
#> dir/a dir/b dir/c dir/d dir/e 
#>  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE 
link_exists("link")
#> link 
#> TRUE 
file_exists(link_path("link"))
#> /tmp/RtmpBEaVBn/dir 
#>                TRUE 

# Delete a file
file_delete(files[1])
file_exists(files[1])
#> dir/a 
#> FALSE 

# Delete the directory (which deletes the files as well)
dir_delete("dir")
file_exists(files)
#> dir/a dir/b dir/c dir/d dir/e 
#> FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 
dir_exists("dir")
#>   dir 
#> FALSE 

# The link still exists, but what it points to does not.
link_exists("link")
#> link 
#> TRUE 
dir_exists(link_path("link"))
#> /tmp/RtmpBEaVBn/dir 
#>               FALSE 

# Delete the link
link_delete("link")
link_exists("link")
#>  link 
#> FALSE 
setwd(.old_wd)