How To Delete a File into the Win95/98/Me Recycle Bin (154005)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0

This article was previously published under Q154005

SUMMARY

The Visual Basic function called KILL enables a user to delete a file from disk. Under Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, files can be deleted into the Recycle Bin, giving a user the ability to reclaim deleted items. The KILL function does not offer this functionality to the Visual Basic Programmer. This article describes how to use the SHFileOperation Win32 API to enable a user to delete a file and place it in the Recycle Bin. Below is a code sample showing how to use the API in Visual Basic.

The Recycle Bin option to remove files immediately when deleted should be turned off in order for this sample to function as designed.

MORE INFORMATION

  1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
  2. Place a Command button on Form1.
  3. Add the following code to the Form1 code window:
          Option Explicit
    
          Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
            hwnd As Long
            wFunc As Long
            pFrom As String
            pTo As String
            fFlags As Integer
            fAnyOperationsAborted As Boolean
            hNameMappings As Long
            lpszProgressTitle As String
          End Type
    
          Private Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" Alias _
            "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long
          Private Declare Function GetTempFileName Lib "kernel32" _
            Alias "GetTempFileNameA" (ByVal lpszPath As String, _
            ByVal lpPrefixString As String, ByVal wUnique As Long, _
            ByVal lpTempFileName As String) As Long
    
          Private Const FO_DELETE = &H3
          Private Const FOF_ALLOWUNDO = &H40
    
          Sub Command1_Click()
            Dim FileOperation As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
            Dim lReturn As Long
            Dim sTempFilename As String * 100
            Dim sSendMeToTheBin As String
            lReturn = GetTempFileName("c:\", "VB_", 0, sTempFilename)
            sSendMeToTheBin = Left(sTempFilename, InStr(sTempFilename, _
               Chr$(0)))
            With FileOperation
               .wFunc = FO_DELETE
               .pFrom = sSendMeToTheBin
               .pTO = vbNullChar   ' Not used
               .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO
            End With
            lReturn = SHFileOperation(FileOperation)
            MsgBox "View your Recycle Bin for files beginning with VB_"
          End Sub
    
    					
  4. Press the F5 key to run the project, and click the Command button. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion of the file. In your Recycle Bin, there will be a file with the prefix "VB_" that is the file created by the GetTempFileName Win32 API call.

REFERENCES

The Win32 SDK Helpfile refers to other SHFileOperation functionality.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/1/2004
Keywords:kbAPI kbhowto KB154005