Looking for script to delete files older than X days

[Jim]

Anyone know of a script that will recursively delete files
older than a give date or number of days?

Thanks,
Jim

[Torgeir Bakken]

Jim wrote:

> Anyone know of a script that will recursively delete files
> older than a give date or number of days?

Hi

Here is a Michael Harris script (slightly modified by me) that should do the
deed the correct way (by creating an array of the files first).

path = "c:\temp"
killdate = date() - 7

arFiles = Array()
set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")

' Don't do the delete/rename while you still are looping through a
' file collection returned from the File System Object (FSO).
' The collection may get mixed up.
' Creating an array of the file names first to avoid this.
'
SelectFiles path, killdate, arFiles

for n = 0 to ubound(arFiles)
set f = arFiles(n)
'=================================================
' Files deleted via FSO methods do *NOT* go to the recycle bin!!!
'=================================================
f.delete true
next

msgbox "Done"

sub SelectFiles(sPath,vKillDate,arFilesToKill)

'select files to delete and add to array...
'
set folder = fso.getfolder(sPath)
set files = folder.files

for each file in files
' uses error trapping around access to the
' Date property just to be safe
'
on error resume Next
dtcreated = file.datelastmodified
on error goto 0
if not isnull(dtcreated) Then
if dtcreated < vKillDate then
count = ubound(arFilesToKill) + 1
redim preserve arFilesToKill(count)
set arFilesToKill(count) = file
end if
end if
next

' *****************************************
' disable section below to exclude subfoldes
'
for each fldr in folder.subfolders
SelectFiles fldr.path,vKillDate,arFilesToKill
next

end sub

--
torgeir

[Michael Harris (MVP)]

A slightly refined version - accounts for 'in use' files and adds a bIncludeSubFolders parameter to the SelectFiles procedure...

path = "c:\temp"
killdate = date() - 7

arFiles = Array()
set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")

' Don't do the delete while you still are looping through a

' file collection returned from the File System Object (FSO).
' The collection may get mixed up.

' Create an array of the file objects to avoid this.
'
SelectFiles path, killdate, arFiles, true

nDeleted = 0

for n = 0 to ubound(arFiles)

'=================================================
' Files deleted via FSO methods do *NOT* go to the recycle bin!!!
'=================================================

on error resume next 'in case of 'in use' files...
arFiles(n).delete true
if err.number = 0 then
wscript.echo "Unable to delete: " & arFiles(n).path
else
nDeleted = nDeleted + 1
end if
on error goto 0
next

msgbox nDeleted & " of " & ubound(arFiles)+1 _
& " eligible files were deleted"

sub SelectFiles(sPath,vKillDate,arFilesToKill,bIncludeSubFolders)

'select files to delete and add to array...
'
set folder = fso.getfolder(sPath)
set files = folder.files

for each file in files
' uses error trapping around access to the
' Date property just to be safe
'

dtlastmodified = null
on error resume Next
dtlastmodified = file.datelastmodified

on error goto 0
if not isnull(dtcreated) Then

if dtlastmodified < vKillDate then

count = ubound(arFilesToKill) + 1
redim preserve arFilesToKill(count)
set arFilesToKill(count) = file
end if
end if
next

if bIncludeSubFolders then

for each fldr in folder.subfolders

SelectFiles fldr.path,vKillDate,arFilesToKill,true
next
end if
end sub

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

[Torgeir Bakken]

"Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:

> A slightly refined version - accounts for 'in use' files and adds a bIncludeSubFolders parameter to the SelectFiles procedure...

Perfect :)

This begins to look like a school book example I think :)

--
torgeir

[Michael Harris (MVP)]

Only if one of us adds Option Explicit and the appropriate Dim statements ;-)...

[grendizer]

Thanks for all those scripts and support! Why don't you make a book, the 2
of you? I would buy a copy for sure :)

--
bizous +++++ gz

[John Braden]

How could we modify this to delete subfolders and possibly the original path
statement if the folder is empty?

"grendizer" <mystifi...@THISmystifier.net> wrote in message
news:uKtZ3HISCHA.1756@tkmsftngp11...

[Torgeir Bakken]

"Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:

> A slightly refined version - accounts for 'in use' files and adds a bIncludeSubFolders parameter to the SelectFiles procedure...

Bug found...

The line
"if not isnull(dtcreated) Then"

should be
"if not isnull(dtlastmodified) Then"

Below is an updated version...

sub SelectFiles(sPath,vKillDate,arFilesToKill,bIncludeSubFolders)

if not isnull(dtlastmodified) Then

if dtlastmodified < vKillDate then
count = ubound(arFilesToKill) + 1
redim preserve arFilesToKill(count)
set arFilesToKill(count) = file
end if
end if
next

if bIncludeSubFolders then
for each fldr in folder.subfolders
SelectFiles fldr.path,vKillDate,arFilesToKill,true
next
end if
end sub

--
torgeir

[Torgeir Bakken]

Torgeir Bakken wrote:

> "Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:
>
> > A slightly refined version - accounts for 'in use' files and adds a bIncludeSubFolders parameter to the SelectFiles procedure...
>
> Bug found...

Another bug found ;-)

arFiles(n).delete true
if err.number = 0 then
wscript.echo "Unable to delete: " & arFiles(n).path

is to be
arFiles(n).delete true
if err.number <> 0 then

wscript.echo "Unable to delete: " & arFiles(n).path

(= is substituted with <>)

I have also added "on error resume next" in the sub SelectFiles.

Below is an updated version...

A slightly refined version - accounts for 'in use' files and adds a bIncludeSubFolders parameter to the
SelectFiles procedure...

' folder to start search in...
path = "c:\temp"

' delete files older than 7 days...

killdate = date() - 7

arFiles = Array()
set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")

' Don't do the delete while you still are looping through a
' file collection returned from the File System Object (FSO).
' The collection may get mixed up.
' Create an array of the file objects to avoid this.
'
SelectFiles path, killdate, arFiles, true

nDeleted = 0
for n = 0 to ubound(arFiles)
'=================================================
' Files deleted via FSO methods do *NOT* go to the recycle bin!!!
'=================================================
on error resume next 'in case of 'in use' files...
arFiles(n).delete true

if err.number <> 0 then

wscript.echo "Unable to delete: " & arFiles(n).path
else
nDeleted = nDeleted + 1
end if
on error goto 0
next

msgbox nDeleted & " of " & ubound(arFiles)+1 _
& " eligible files were deleted"

sub SelectFiles(sPath,vKillDate,arFilesToKill,bIncludeSubFolders)
on error resume next