Chilkat2-Python

Remove a Remote Directory on an SFTP Server

Demonstrates the Chilkat SFtp.RemoveDir method, which deletes a remote directory. The only argument is the directory path.

Background: Most SFTP servers refuse to remove a directory that is not empty, so deleting a populated tree means removing its files and subdirectories first — the inverse of building a path level by level. There is no single "recursive delete" in the SFTP protocol; a client implements it by listing, descending, and removing bottom-up.

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import sys
import chilkat2

success = False

# Demonstrates the SFtp.RemoveDir method, which deletes a remote directory.  The only argument
# is the directory path.

sftp = chilkat2.SFtp()

# Connect, authenticate, and initialize the SFTP subsystem.
port = 22
success = sftp.Connect("sftp.example.com",port)
if (success == False):
    print(sftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

# Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
# from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
password = "mySshPassword"

success = sftp.AuthenticatePw("mySshLogin",password)
if (success == False):
    print(sftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

success = sftp.InitializeSftp()
if (success == False):
    print(sftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

# Delete a remote directory.  Most SFTP servers require the directory to be empty first.
success = sftp.RemoveDir("subdir/oldfolder")
if (success == False):
    print(sftp.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

print("Directory removed.")

sftp.Disconnect()