delete files in a specific folder on logoff

if exist c:\snettemp rmdir /s /q c:\snettemp

Copy/paste the following into Notepad then save as 'DeleteTemp.vbs'. You can save this file anywhere but it will make it easier for this example to save it to the 'C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy\Machine\Scripts\Shutdown' folder.

Open the Group Policy Editor (run 'gpedit.msc').

If you want the 'DeleteTemp.vbs' script to run on startup or shutdown then navigate to 'Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts(Startup/Shutdown). Alternatively, if you want the 'DeleteTemp.vbs' script to run on logon or logoff then navigate to 'User Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts(Logon/Logoff).

Select (double-click on) the event you want to run the script (Startup/Shutdown/Logon/Logoff) then click on the 'Add' button.

Click on the 'Browse' button.

Select the script you want to run then click on the 'Open' then 'OK' buttons.

' Set up the scripting environment
Option Explicit
Const oSrc = "C:\snettemp"
Dim Text, Title
Dim WSH, FSO, oFolders, oFolder, oSubFolders ' Object variables
Dim oFileCount, oFolderCount, oFiles, oCount
Text = "Folders" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
' Dialog title (inc. vanity bit)
Title = "Temp File Deleter"
 
' Create Windows Scripting Host Shell object
Set WSH = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
' Create FileSystem object to access the file system.
Set FSO = WScript.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 
'Delete the folder (forcibly, to handle read-only attributes) then re-create it
FSO.DeleteFolder oSrc,True
FSO.CreateFolder oSrc
 
'Free memory used by objects
Set WSH = Nothing
Set FSO = Nothing
 
WScript.Quit()

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IKZ: i'm not that well-versed in VBS scripting - will this script remove the c:\snettemp\ folder or just delete it's contents? I need the folder to remain, just its contents permanently deleted. Is this perferable to using a batch script?

Basically does the same thing as this - recreates the folder after removing it..

if exist c:\snettemp rmdir /s /q c:\snettemp & md c:\snettemp

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This is for users on a domain. The security parameters are set up such that only domain users have read/write access to this folder. If I delete this folder and recreate it, i don't think it will be recreated with the same NTFS permissions.

This will leave the folder intact.
Double-check the code by launching as-is first.
Once satisfied, remove the 'echo' from both lines...and it will delete/remove the folders & files.

set fld=c:\snettemp
for /f %%a in ('dir %fld% /b /a-d') do echo del "%fld%%%a"
for /f %%a in ('dir %fld% /b /ad') do echo rmdir /s /q "%fld%%%a%"

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Put these two lines in a batch file and assign it to run at logoff: The first deletes all files in the root of snettemp and the second line removes any subdirectories. This will also leave the snettemp folder intact.

del /f /q c:\snettemp\*.*
for /f "tokens=*" %%A in ('dir /ad /b c:\snettemp') do rd /s /q "%%A"

Justin Chandler

Sirbounty:
not all of the computers the users might log on to have this folder only computers that have a terminal emulation program installed. This script needs to make sure that the folder exists before running these commands

just one line needed for that..

set fld=c:\snettemp
if not exist %fld% goto :eof
for /f %%a in ('dir %fld% /b /a-d') do echo del "%fld%%%a"
for /f %%a in ('dir %fld% /b /ad') do echo rmdir /s /q "%fld%%%a%"

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It's the same either way -- because if the folder does not exist it won't do anything.

Justin Chandler

i'm trying to combine your script with some commands that check to see if c:\snettemp has files and/or in it, and if it does to delete them.  it's not deleting the files...  these scripts work when run separately... am i missing a command somewhere?

@echo off
setlocal
 
set folder=c:\snettemp
 
if not exist "%folder%" (
 md "%folder%"
 echo Y|cacls "%folder%" /T /C /G administrators:C
 cacls "%folder%" /T /E /C /G "Domain Users":C
)
 
if not exist %folder% goto :eof
for /f %%a in ('dir %folder% /b /a-d') do del "%folder%%%a"
for /f %%a in ('dir %folder% /b /ad') do rmdir /s /q "%folder%%%a%"

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works like a charm... thanks!