Question

Use batch to delete all contents of a folder but leave the folder

Asked by: MCG818

Is there a specific batch script that will delete EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING of all file types and folders with any name from inside a specific folder?

I do want to leave that folder intact.

I know i could delete the root folder then use "MD" to make another folder with same name.  I DO NOT WANT THAT.  Because of access reasons from remote server.  This will be used in a custom data csv export that will have a live connection updating every 15 secs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

FYI Just for reference folder is named "Test" on root of C.  (C:\Test)

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Asked On
2009-01-28 at 00:41:10ID24089991
Topic

Windows Batch Scripting

Participating Experts
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Answers

 

by: oBdAPosted on 2009-01-28 at 01:53:26ID: 23484931

For this, you need twop steps:
* delete all folders in the folder
* delete all files in the folder
The script below should do that. It's currently in test mode, it will only display the delete commands it would run otherwise.
Remove the capitalized "ECHO"s to run it for real.

@echo off
set RootFolder=C:\Test
for /d %%a in ("%RootFolder%\*.*") do ECHO rd /s /q "%%a"
ECHO  del "%RootFolder%\*.*" /f /q
                                              
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by: canaliPosted on 2009-01-28 at 01:54:27ID: 23484935

Try it in test enviroment an backup your data before

Gas

@echo off
:: ================
:: READ THIS FIRST
:: ================
:: delAllinside.cmd
:: * batch script that will delete EVERYTHING:  files and subfolders with any name from inside a specific folder
:: * leaving the intact  the target_dir
:: * change target_dir to your folders
:: * change debug in off to make the script "active and DANGEROUS"
:: *by Gatone Canali
setlocal
pushd %~d0%~p0
set logfile=%temp%\_dellog.log
:: *** Remove  Log File
del /f /q %logfile% >nul 2>&1 
set log=^>^>%logfile% 2^>^&1
set echo=echo
 
:: *** the TARGET FOLDER
:: ***
set target_dir=C:\DOCUME~1\g\IMPOST~1\Temp
:: *** if debug=ON DO NOTHING
:: *** CHANGE TO OFF AND THE BATCH WILL DELETE ALL :)
set debug=on
:: *** output to video/file 
set output=video
 
if /i +%debug%+==+off+    set echo=
if /i +%output%+==+video+ set log=
if exist "%target_dir%"   call :_DELALLINSIDE "%target_dir%"
goto :_END
 
:_DELALLINSIDE
rem *** delete all files folders and subfolders inside a folder
rem ***
if not exist %1 goto :_ERR
echo ++%~f1 %log% 
rem *** change disk
(%~d1 %log%)||goto :_ERR1
rem *** change Dir
(cd %1 %log%)||goto :_ERR2
echo Current folder                
cd                                 
echo from this: starting to delete
%echo%  attrib -h -s -r *.* /s /d %log% 
%echo%  del  /q /f /s *.*         %log%
%echo%  rmdir . /S /Q             %log%
goto :_EOF
 
goto :_END
:_ERR
      echo ERROR: Folder not found %log%
goto _END
:_ERR1
      echo ERROR1: Cannot change disk %log%
goto _END
:_ERR2
  echo ERROR2: cannot change dir  %log%
goto _END
 
:_END
:_EOF

                                              
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