Gossamer Forum: General: Perl Programming: how to delete all files in a directory?

Jun 5, 1999, 11:34 PM

jpop

Novice (40 posts)

Jun 5, 1999, 11:34 PM

Post #1 of 4

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how to delete all files in a directory?

What is the command to delete all files in a directory?

Jun 6, 1999, 4:39 AM

Bobsie

Veteran (3111 posts)

Jun 6, 1999, 4:39 AM

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Re: how to delete all files in a directory? In reply to

From perldoc -f unlink:

Quote:

unlink LIST
unlink Deletes a list of files. Returns the number of files successfully deleted.

$cnt = unlink 'a', 'b', 'c';
unlink @goners;
unlink <*.bak>;

Note: `unlink()' will not delete directories unless you are superuser and the -U flag is supplied to Perl. Even if these conditions are met, be warned that unlinking a directory can inflict damage on your filesystem. Use `rmdir()' instead.

If LIST is omitted, uses `$_'.

I hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by Bobsie (edited June 06, 1999).]

Jun 6, 1999, 10:15 AM

Alex

Administrator (9387 posts)

Jun 6, 1999, 10:15 AM

Post #3 of 4

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Re: how to delete all files in a directory? In reply to

If you want to wipe a directory and all subdirectories, might also want to look at rmtree in the File::Path module.

Cheers,

Alex

Jun 7, 1999, 9:13 AM

jpop

Novice (40 posts)

Jun 7, 1999, 9:13 AM

Post #4 of 4

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Re: how to delete all files in a directory? In reply to

Some thing to ask....
if I put:

unlink <*.bak>;

in the script, will I delete all the file with .bak extension in the same directory?
so if I put:

unlink <some_directory/*.*>;

will this delete all files in some_directory??