BUG: "Empty Recycle Bin" Unavailable After Deletion by SHFileOperation (235586)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API), when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
    • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
This article was previously published under Q235586

SYMPTOMS

After an application uses SHFileOperation to delete files (FO_DELETE), which are moved to the Recycle Bin (FOF_ALLOWUNDO), the Empty Recycle Bin menu item (found on the pop-up menu when you right-click the bin and also on the Windows Explorer File menu) will remain unavailable.

CAUSE

The shell maintains information on the current state of the Recycle Bin. Recycle Bin uses this information to determine if there are objects in it and disables the Empty Recycle Bin option if no files are present.

When SHFileOperation is used to send files to the Recycle Bin, this information only gets updated if the SHFileOperation call is being made from within the shell's process.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:5/14/2004
Keywords:kbAPI kbBug kbfix kbShellGrp KB235586
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.