asked on

File Delete issue

I cant seem to get a file deleted no matter how I try using the JAVA File class. I have made sure that all streams and other potential programtic references to the file have been closed and nulified. I can remove these files manually using windows explorer so I would think there are no outstanding file locks or sharing violations etc. I have tried all manner of things and the code snippet below is what I have implemented as of this time.

File myFile = null;
File myDirFile = null;
String[] filesToRemove;
 
myDirFile = new File(this.sBasePath);
filesToRemove = myDirFile.list();
for (int i=0; i < filesToRemove.length; i++) {
     if (filesToRemove[i].toUpperCase().contains(this.sName.toUpperCase()) == true) {
          myFile = new File(myDirFile + this.sFileSeparator,  filesToRemove[i]);
          if (myFile.delete() == true)
              System.out.println("Deleted file: " + filesToRemove[i]);
           else
               System.out.println("Failed to delete file: " + filesToRemove[i]);
       }
}

Open in new window

CEHJ

What's your debug output saying?

You can simplify your code (and make it less error prone) by doing

File[] filesToRemove = myDirFile.listFiles();

then you don't need to construct files from path fragments

FlyByNtAz

ASKER

Below is the console output from the code snippet in the problem statement:

Failed to delete file: SMMA_LO_00001.jar
Failed to delete file: smma_lo_00001.zip

CEHJ

Can you change

if (myFile.delete() == true)

into the following and then report back?

if (myFile.exists()) {
	System.out.printf("File %s exists, so attempting to delete it\", myFile);
}
else {
	System.err.printf("File %s does NOT exist, so skipping it\", myFile);
	continue;
}
if (myFile.delete() == true)

Open in new window

CEHJ

Oops, sorry

if (myFile.exists()) {
	System.out.printf("File %s exists, so attempting to delete it\n", myFile);
}
else {
	System.err.printf("File %s does NOT exist, so skipping it\n", myFile);
	continue;
}
if (myFile.delete() == true)

Open in new window

FlyByNtAz

ASKER

Modified as per your two suggestions w/o any difference in behavior.

The following is the console output:
File: C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\math\SMMA_LO_00001.jar exists, so attempting to delete it
Failed to delete file: C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\math\SMMA_LO_00001.jar
File: C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\math\smma_lo_00001.zip exists, so attempting to delete it
Failed to delete file: C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\math\smma_lo_00001.zip

File myDirFile = null;
File[] filesToRemove;
 
myDirFile = new File(this.sBasePath);
filesToRemove = myDirFile.listFiles();
for (int i=0; i < filesToRemove.length; i++) {
    if (filesToRemove[i].getName().toUpperCase().contains(this.sName.toUpperCase()) == true) {
        if (filesToRemove[i].exists()) {
            System.out.printf("File: %s exists, so attempting to delete it\n", filesToRemove[i]);
        }
        else {
            System.out.printf("File: %s does NOT exist, so skipping it\n", filesToRemove[i]);
            continue;
        }
        if (filesToRemove[i].delete() == true)
          System.out.println("Deleted file: " + filesToRemove[i]);
       else
           System.out.println("Failed to delete file: " + filesToRemove[i]);
    }
}

Open in new window

CEHJ

Are those zip/jar files in any way involved in your classpath?

FlyByNtAz

ASKER

No, they are extracted as resources from a JAR file that is used as a container much like an image file that you would find in a JAR file.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

CEHJ

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

FlyByNtAz

ASKER

As you expected there seem to be dangling file handle references hanging around as seen by the following output from the handle utility you mentioned:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
java.exe pid: 5956 NCSP\Delema
C: File (RW-) C:\MATH
--->>> 3ACC: File (RW-) C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\math\SMMA_LO_00001.jar
--->>> 3AE4: File (RW-) C:\Documents and Settings\Delema\Local Settings\Temp\math\smma_lo_00001.zip
3AEC: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\WindowsRTE.jar
3AF4: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\SMMA_LO_00004.jar
3AFC: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\SMMA_LO_00003.jar
3B04: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\SMMA_LO_00002.jar
3B0C: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\SMMA_LO_00001.jar
3B14: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\ProgressReport.jar
3B40: File (RW-) C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\Manifest.jar
3B48: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\Manifest.jar
3B50: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\MacRTE.jar
3B58: File (RW-) C:\MATH\JARS\Deploy\Common.jar
3B70: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\ext\sunpkcs11.jar
3B78: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\ext\sunjce_provider.jar
3B84: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\ext\localedata.jar
3B8C: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\ext\dnsns.jar
3E4C: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\charsets.jar
3E54: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\jce.jar
3E5C: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\jsse.jar
3E64: File (RW-) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_14\jre\lib\rt.jar
3E88: Section \BaseNamedObjects\hsperfdata_Delema_5956
3E8C: File (R-D) C:\DOCUME~1\Delema\LOCALS~1\Temp\hsperfdata_Delema\5956
3FD0: Section \BaseNamedObjects\ShimSharedMemory

C:\Documents and Settings\Delema\Desktop>

CEHJ

Unfortunately i can't reproduce this at the moment. can you not wait until a bit later to delete them?