delete: Delete a file or files (use IMDELETE to delete imagefiles)

Package: system

Usage

delete files

Parameters

files

The list of files to be deleted.

verify = no

Check with the user before deleting a file. If verify is enabled the file name is printed and the user is queried before the default action is taken.

default_action = yes

This is the default action to take when operating in "verify" mode. For example, if the default action is "yes", one need only type RETURN in response to the verify prompt to delete the file.

allversions = yes

Delete all versions of a file. This parameter has no effect on systems like UNIX which do not support multiple file versions.

subfiles = yes

Delete subfiles. Not currently used.

Description

Delete destroys a file or files and returns the space they occupied to the host system, to be reused for other files. Once a file has been deleted, it is gone forever (unless a copy exists somewhere). Enabling verify gives one the opportunity to say yes or no before each file is deleted; this is particularly useful when files is a template. Note that protect can be used to protect files from deletion, accidental or otherwise. Imagefiles are automatically protected by the system to remind the user to use imdelete to delete images (this is necessary because an image is stored in more than one physical file).

Examples

1. Delete all files with extension ".x", verifying each file deletion before it is performed.

cl> delete *.x ver+

2. List all files in the current directory, deleting only those files for which the user responds to the verify prompt with "yes" or "y". Note that "delete *" is a very dangerous operation.

cl> delete * ver+ def=no

See also

protect, unprotect, imdelete