"MoveFile" function in C# (Delete file after reboot)

Question

I am in need of an example, that can let me pass a parameter

e.g. executing delete.exe /killme.txt

So it will use the "MoveFile" to delete killme.txt after reboot.

Although please not the MS precompiled version, as it has an annoying disclaimer, every time its run on a different computer.

Answer 1

You'll need the P/Invoke declarations for MoveFileEx:

[Flags]
internal enum MoveFileFlags
{
    None = 0,
    ReplaceExisting = 1,
    CopyAllowed = 2,
    DelayUntilReboot = 4,
    WriteThrough = 8,
    CreateHardlink = 16,
    FailIfNotTrackable = 32,
}

internal static class NativeMethods
{
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true, CharSet=CharSet.Unicode)]
    public static extern bool MoveFileEx(
        string lpExistingFileName,
        string lpNewFileName, 
        MoveFileFlags dwFlags);
}

And some example code:

if (!NativeMethods.MoveFileEx("a.txt", null, MoveFileFlags.DelayUntilReboot))
{
    Console.Error.WriteLine("Unable to schedule 'a.txt' for deletion");
}

Answer 2

Because you want to perform this after reboot as a requirement, you could use the Windows Task Scheduler API. You can invoke this in C# by adding a reference to the COM library TaskScheduler 1.1 Type Library. Below is a full code example on running Notepad.exe at logon.

Also, here is another resource: http://bartdesmet.net/blogs/bart/archive/2008/02/23/calling-the-task-scheduler-in-windows-vista-and-windows-server-2008-from-managed-code.aspx

You could call the system command DEL from Windows Command line, potentially with this code.

namespace TaskSchedulerExample {
    using System;
    using TaskScheduler;

    class Program {
        static void Main(string[] args) {
            var scheduler = new TaskSchedulerClass();
            scheduler.Connect(null, null, null, null);

            ITaskDefinition task = scheduler.NewTask(0);
            task.RegistrationInfo.Author = "DCOM Productions";
            task.RegistrationInfo.Description = "Demo";

            ILogonTrigger trigger = (ILogonTrigger)task.Triggers.Create(_TASK_TRIGGER_TYPE2.TASK_TRIGGER_LOGON);
            trigger.Id = "Logon Demo";

            IExecAction action = (IExecAction)task.Actions.Create(_TASK_ACTION_TYPE.TASK_ACTION_EXEC);
            action.Id = "Delete";
            action.Path = "c:\\delete.exe";          // Or similar path
            action.WorkingDirectory = "c:\\";        // Working path
            action.Arguments = "c:\\killme.txt";     // Path to your file

            ITaskFolder root = scheduler.GetFolder("\\");
            IRegisteredTask regTask = root.RegisterTaskDefinition("Demo", task, (int)_TASK_CREATION.TASK_CREATE_OR_UPDATE, null, null, _TASK_LOGON_TYPE.TASK_LOGON_INTERACTIVE_TOKEN, "");

            //Force run task
            //IRunningTask runTask = regTask.Run(null);
        }
    }
}

This gives you some flexibility. You could run your own delete.exe, or you could potentially invoke the Windows Command Line to execute the DEL command.