# CodeGuru Technical FAQs > CodeGuru Individual FAQs >  Windows SDK File System: How to delete a directory and subdirectories?

## Andreas Masur

*Q:* How to delete a directory and subdirectories?

*A:*



```
#include <string>
#include <iostream>

#include <windows.h>
#include <conio.h>


int DeleteDirectory(const std::string &refcstrRootDirectory,
                    bool              bDeleteSubdirectories = true)
{
  bool            bSubdirectory = false;       // Flag, indicating whether
                                               // subdirectories have been found
  HANDLE          hFile;                       // Handle to directory
  std::string     strFilePath;                 // Filepath
  std::string     strPattern;                  // Pattern
  WIN32_FIND_DATA FileInformation;             // File information


  strPattern = refcstrRootDirectory + "\\*.*";
  hFile = ::FindFirstFile(strPattern.c_str(), &FileInformation);
  if(hFile != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
  {
    do
    {
      if(FileInformation.cFileName[0] != '.')
      {
        strFilePath.erase();
        strFilePath = refcstrRootDirectory + "\\" + FileInformation.cFileName;

        if(FileInformation.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY)
        {
          if(bDeleteSubdirectories)
          {
            // Delete subdirectory
            int iRC = DeleteDirectory(strFilePath, bDeleteSubdirectories);
            if(iRC)
              return iRC;
          }
          else
            bSubdirectory = true;
        }
        else
        {
          // Set file attributes
          if(::SetFileAttributes(strFilePath.c_str(),
                                 FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) == FALSE)
            return ::GetLastError();

          // Delete file
          if(::DeleteFile(strFilePath.c_str()) == FALSE)
            return ::GetLastError();
        }
      }
    } while(::FindNextFile(hFile, &FileInformation) == TRUE);

    // Close handle
    ::FindClose(hFile);

    DWORD dwError = ::GetLastError();
    if(dwError != ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES)
      return dwError;
    else
    {
      if(!bSubdirectory)
      {
        // Set directory attributes
        if(::SetFileAttributes(refcstrRootDirectory.c_str(),
                               FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) == FALSE)
          return ::GetLastError();

        // Delete directory
        if(::RemoveDirectory(refcstrRootDirectory.c_str()) == FALSE)
          return ::GetLastError();
      }
    }
  }

  return 0;
}


int main()
{
  int         iRC                  = 0;
  std::string strDirectoryToDelete = "c:\\mydir";


  // Delete 'c:\mydir' without deleting the subdirectories
  iRC = DeleteDirectory(strDirectoryToDelete, false);
  if(iRC)
  {
    std::cout << "Error " << iRC << std::endl;
    return -1;
  }

  // Delete 'c:\mydir' and its subdirectories
  iRC = DeleteDirectory(strDirectoryToDelete);
  if(iRC)
  {
    std::cout << "Error " << iRC << std::endl;
    return -1;
  }

  // Wait for keystroke
  _getch();

  return 0;
}
```

As Paul McKenzie just pointed out: I am not responsible for any possible damage this function might do to a system (like calling it with 'c:\\')...

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## cilu

*Q*: How to delete a directory and its subdirectories using the Shell API?

*A*: You can use 'SHFileOperation', which copies, removes, renames or deletes a file system object. In the example below it is used to delete a folder in a recursive manner:



```
#include <windows.h>
#include <tchar.h>
#include <shellapi.h>

bool DeleteDirectory(LPCTSTR lpszDir, bool noRecycleBin = true)
{
  int len = _tcslen(lpszDir);
  TCHAR *pszFrom = new TCHAR[len+2];
  _tcscpy(pszFrom, lpszDir);
  pszFrom[len] = 0;
  pszFrom[len+1] = 0;
  
  SHFILEOPSTRUCT fileop;
  fileop.hwnd   = NULL;    // no status display
  fileop.wFunc  = FO_DELETE;  // delete operation
  fileop.pFrom  = pszFrom;  // source file name as double null terminated string
  fileop.pTo    = NULL;    // no destination needed
  fileop.fFlags = FOF_NOCONFIRMATION|FOF_SILENT;  // do not prompt the user
  
  if(!noRecycleBin)
    fileop.fFlags |= FOF_ALLOWUNDO;

  fileop.fAnyOperationsAborted = FALSE;
  fileop.lpszProgressTitle     = NULL;
  fileop.hNameMappings         = NULL;

  int ret = SHFileOperation(&fileop);
  delete [] pszFrom;  
  return (ret == 0);
}

int main() 
{
  DeleteDirectory("d:\\Test", false);
  return 0;
}
```

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