How to delete files in Visual Studio Pre-build event command line

Question

I am trying to delete files in my $(TargetDir) within visual studio before building a project.

How do you have to format command line to get around this problem I am getting below? alt text

Eoin Campbell · Accepted Answer · 2009-04-20T13:46:20.247

88

Try

cd $(TargetDir)
del *.tif

As jvenema pointed out, your $(TargetDir) is expanding into a path containing spaces in the folder names which is breaking the delete command.

edited Apr 20 '09 at 13:46

answered Apr 20 '09 at 13:41

Eoin Campbell

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I observed that even if no spaces are in the dirname, separating into a 'cd' and a wildcard makes the difference between working and busted :/ – Dean Radcliffe Dec 12 '12 at 01:41
@Eoin Could you please tell me where can I find the document of these command ? Or could you please give me the search key in the google ? thanks a lot. – Joe.wang Jul 10 '13 at 01:48
Just to clarify, TargetDir is probably your bin directory. – Ben Power Nov 22 '18 at 03:07

score 32 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 17 '11 at 18:14

32

I ended up using rd /s /q "$(TargetDir)" to clean out the directory. As far as I know it is working.

answered Aug 17 '11 at 18:14

tuck

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This removes even there are subdirectories also by /q option it removes quietly. It means "remove directory command"(rd) never ask for deletion(R U Sure?). After any build if there is an existing file this way become better,thanks – Davut Gürbüz Jun 28 '12 at 10:43
1

This quietly removes the build target directory, $(TargetDir), and its contents. Visual Studio recreates the build directory when necessary. – George Mar 17 '13 at 15:17
I also found this approach useful, as 'del' will fail with the same error when the directory you're looking to delete files from doesn't exist, which is a problem when you're looking to remove all files from a directory deeper in the build output structure. – OcularProgrammer May 18 '15 at 23:44

score 17 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 20 '09 at 13:36

17

Try adding quotes around the directory.

answered Apr 20 '09 at 13:36

Jerod Venema

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Thanks jvenema: It seems like "quote" actually does what I thought it should do, but unfortunately I was not delete all images using a wide-card. Eoin's version worked though. – dance2die Apr 20 '09 at 13:49

score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 17 '11 at 21:25

14

You have to write del "$(TargetDir)*.tif" because of spaces in directory path.

answered Oct 17 '11 at 21:25

Václav Dajbych

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score 10 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 08 '18 at 22:04

Old question but a couple of things:

del "$(TargetDir)*.tif" /q

1) /q is for quiet. Otherwise, del cmd prompts "... Are you sure (Y/N)?" which the build does not like.

2) As many have pointed out, "" around the targetDir for possible space in the target directory.

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 20 '22 at 07:49

For DOTNET Core, your quotes need to be escaped, like this:

<Target Name="PreBuild" BeforeTargets="PreBuildEvent">
  <Exec Command="del &quot;$(ProjectDir)wwwroot\_framework\*.*&quot; /q" />
</Target>

<Target Name="PostBuild" AfterTargets="PostBuildEvent">
  <Exec Command="copy &quot;$(ProjectDir)..\Client\bin\Debug\net5.0\wwwroot\_framework\*.*&quot; &quot;$(ProjectDir)wwwroot\_framework\&quot;" />
</Target>

score -2 · Answer 7 · edited Apr 21 '17 at 00:57

-2

wmic process where name='chromedriver.exe' delete

edited Apr 21 '17 at 00:57

Unheilig

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answered Apr 20 '17 at 23:47

Meg-90

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How to delete files in Visual Studio Pre-build event command line

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