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How to Check File Dates and Delete Older Files in a Directory

Keywords:  fileymdhms timeymdhms timesubtract file date file time  

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Question:

I want to delete all files older than 4 days old in a directory. How do I do that?

Answer:

Here's some sample code:
This can be used without the Searcher Extender....

today = TimeYmdHms()
fivedaysago = TimeSubtract(today, "00:00:05:00:00:00")


Dirchange("C:\temp")

myfiles = FileItemize("*.*")
FileNum=ItemCount(myfiles, @tab)
  
For FileIndex=1 to FileNum
  
  file=ItemExtract(FileIndex, myfiles, @tab)
  getdate=FileYMDHMS(file)

  if getdate <= fivedaysago 
    message("file is older than 4 days", file)
    filedelete(file)
  else
    message("file is not older than 4 days", "file=%file%%@crlf%getdate=%getdate%%@crlf%fivedaysago=%fivedaysago%")
  endif 

next

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This can be used WITH the Searcher Extender....

;-------------------------------------------------
;This example will delete files older than 30 days
;-------------------------------------------------
BoxOpen("File Deleter","Initializing")

AddExtender("Wsrch34I.dll");Searcher Extender DLL

timenow=TimeYmdHms()  ;get current datetime
hand=srchInit("C:\Junk","*.*","","",16) ;initializes your search
x=0; initializes counter for display in box
while 1
   file=srchNext(hand);gets first file
      if file=="" then break ;if no more files break out of while loop
      x=x+1 ; increments counter for display in box

	timenow=TimeYmdHms();gets todays date
	timeminus30 = TimeSubtract(timenow, "00:00:30:00:00:00")	;gets time 30 days ago
	
	getfiletime=FileYmdHms(file);gets file time
	
	;The following line can be used for debugging it displays all date varibles
	;message("TimeNow %timenow%"," Is the 'Filetime' %getfiletime% <= 'Timeminus30(Thirty days ago)' %timeminus30% ?")
	
	BoxText("%x% %file%") ;updates boxes text

	;;;;;  If getfiletime is older than timeminus30
	if getfiletime <= timeminus30 
	   string=strcat(x," ",file,@CRLF,"Over Thirty days old",@CRLF,"File being deleted!")
	   BoxText(string) ;updates boxes text
	   FileDelete(file) ;deletes the file
	endif
	timedelay(0.5);short pause
endwhile
srchFree(hand); frees search handle
Message("File Delete", "Completed.")

exit

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Article ID:   W13225

Filename:   Check File Date and Delete Older Files in Directory.txt

File Created: 2001:03:01:14:45:18

Last Updated: 2001:03:01:14:45:18