Delphi ActiveX

Recursively Delete a Remote FTP Directory Tree

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ftp2.DeleteTree method, which recursively deletes the files and subdirectories beneath the current remote directory. It takes no arguments. Child directories are removed after their contents; the current root directory itself remains.

Background: FTP has no single recursive-delete command, so this method does the work a client otherwise scripts by hand: descend the tree and remove files and directories bottom-up. It is powerful and irreversible, so the ChangeRemoteDir into the intended directory beforehand is a critical safety step — running it from the wrong place would wipe the wrong subtree. The root directory you are in is left intact; remove it separately with RemoveRemoteDir if desired.

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var
success: Integer;
ftp: TChilkatFtp2;

begin
success := 0;

//  Demonstrates the Ftp2.DeleteTree method, which recursively deletes the files and subdirectories
//  beneath the current remote directory.  It takes no arguments.

ftp := TChilkatFtp2.Create(Self);

ftp.Hostname := 'ftp.example.com';
ftp.Username := 'myFtpLogin';

//  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.
ftp.Password := 'myPassword';

success := ftp.Connect();
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

success := ftp.ChangeRemoteDir('public_html');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  Change into the directory whose contents should be removed.
success := ftp.ChangeRemoteDir('uploads/temp');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  Recursively delete everything beneath the current directory.  Child directories are removed
//  after their contents; the current root directory itself remains.
success := ftp.DeleteTree();
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add('Subtree deleted.');

success := ftp.Disconnect();
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ftp.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;