Thread: Need an sample on ProcessBuilder to delete a file.

Hello forums,

I hope you are doing great. I've been working with the ProcessBuilder lately, and I wanted to use it to send a command to the cmd prompt of windows to delete a file.

	private static void deleteSource() throws Exception {
		// ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("java", "-cp", paramContext, paramName);
	    // p = pb.start();
	    // processCheck();
	    // p.waitFor();
	}

This is just an example to execute a .class file .. but I'd like to delete a file now. Don't know what the "(instructions)" to accomplish it.

It has to be through the process builder, sending the file's path or name or both (i've got that covered) and not through a file object which i dont have instanciate. now thinking about it, I don't know could I instanciate a file object for an already existing file, and then just use a file method to delete it?

Thanks for the page. Extremely useful!

***Note:
By code I mean the organized java language instructions that act as a program, and has no compilation errors.
The collection of both .java file and .class file.

----

So I have a code that creates two copies of itself with a different name. It will then send a command to shell to execute these two copies, which will continue the process. I've added some safeguards that prevents for the process to continue after a specified number of generations. Consider it as a different way of recursion.

In addition to that, I've set up a process that after a code has finished creating it's copies, it will then proceed to delete its source code (.java). Later, during execution time of the two copies, only one of them (another safeguard) will delete the original code (.class). Forseeing the problem of having two codes trying to delete the same one.

I've received no compilation errors from the program. I've also placed some S.o.prints to double checking the parameters or strings sent to the processbuilders. But so far the deletion is not happenning.

Here is what I think. It might just be that I am not declaring the cmd prompt instructions properly or its a runtime issue. I've assumed that since the execution of the copies these codes have their separate individual runtimes, and could be conflicting with each other in some way. The reason I've believe this is the case its because of the order of the imput I've received.

The logical order would be receiving info from generation 0 to start, followed by 1, 2, and so on..

I am afraid it might also means that this is actually happening on a linear runtime all along.

This is what I've received:

C:\>java Earth
OUT: OUT: Parent for generation: 2 C:\blihqwm.class
OUT: OUT:
OUT: Source for generation: 1 C:\\blihqwm.java
OUT:
OUT: Parent for generation: 1 C:\Earth.class
OUT:
OUT: OUT: Parent for generation: 2 C:\mwvkkff.class
OUT: OUT:
OUT: Source for generation: 1 C:\\mwvkkff.java
OUT:
Source for generation: 0 C:\\Earth.java

	private static void deleteParent() throws Exception {
		ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("DEL", parent);
		System.out.println("Parent for generation: " + generation + " " + parent + "\n");
	    p = pb.start();
	    processCheck();
	    p.waitFor();
	}
 
	private static void deleteSource() throws Exception {
		ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("DEL", System.getProperty("user.dir") + "\\" + Thread.currentThread().getStackTrace()[1].getClassName() + ".java");
	    System.out.println("Source for generation: " + generation + " " + System.getProperty("user.dir") + "\\" + Thread.currentThread().getStackTrace()[1].getClassName() + ".java" + "\n");
		p = pb.start();
	    processCheck();
	    p.waitFor();
	}

Can you help me out double check if the instructions in the processbuilder are sent properly.

Well I just noticed I haven't assigned printstacktrace in some places.. Yep I've just eddited the code.

C:\>java Earth
OUT: OUT: Parent for generation: 2 C:\pbsnxtf.class
OUT: OUT:
OUT: ERR: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "DEL": CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: at ccsxzde.deleteParent(ccsxzde.java:104)
OUT: ERR: at ccsxzde.initialize(ccsxzde.java:146)
OUT: ERR: at ccsxzde.main(ccsxzde.java:152)
OUT: ERR: Caused by: java.io.IOException: CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.create(Native Method)
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.<init>(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.start(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: ... 4 more
OUT: Source for generation: 1 C:\\pbsnxtf.java
OUT:
OUT: Parent for generation: 1 C:\Earth.class
OUT:
OUT: OUT: Parent for generation: 2 C:\uegkmks.class
OUT: OUT:
OUT: ERR: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "DEL": CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: at izwaioq.deleteParent(izwaioq.java:104)
OUT: ERR: at izwaioq.initialize(izwaioq.java:146)
OUT: ERR: at izwaioq.main(izwaioq.java:152)
OUT: ERR: Caused by: java.io.IOException: CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.create(Native Method)
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.<init>(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.start(Unknown Source)
OUT: ERR: ... 4 more
OUT: Source for generation: 1 C:\\uegkmks.java
OUT:
ERR: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "DEL": CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
ERR: at java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(Unknown Source)
ERR: at uegkmks.deleteParent(uegkmks.java:104)
ERR: at uegkmks.initialize(uegkmks.java:146)
ERR: at uegkmks.main(uegkmks.java:152)
ERR: Caused by: java.io.IOException: CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.create(Native Method)
ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.<init>(Unknown Source)
ERR: at java.lang.ProcessImpl.start(Unknown Source)
ERR: ... 4 more
Source for generation: 0 C:\\Earth.java

The problem is hell lot more descriptive than before.

No ProcessBuilder required. It is easier to manage file objects.

Using file objects, yes.