## org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs
Class Delete

    java.lang.Object
      org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent
          org.apache.tools.ant.Task
              org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MatchingTask
                  org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Delete

All Implemented Interfaces:
  java.lang.Cloneable, SelectorContainer

    public class Delete

extends MatchingTask

Deletes a file or directory, or set of files defined by a fileset. The original delete task would delete a file, or a set of files using the include/exclude syntax. The deltree task would delete a directory tree. This task combines the functionality of these two originally distinct tasks.

Currently Delete extends MatchingTask. This is intended only to provide backwards compatibility for a release. The future position is to use nested filesets exclusively.

Since:
  Ant 1.2

Field Summary
`protected java.io.File` `dir`
`protected java.io.File` `file`
`protected java.util.Vector` `filesets`
`protected boolean` `includeEmpty`
`protected boolean` `usedMatchingTask`

Fields inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MatchingTask
`fileset`

Fields inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.Task
`target, taskName, taskType, wrapper`

Fields inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent
`description, location, project`

Constructor Summary
`Delete()`

Method Summary
`void` `add(FileSelector selector)` add an arbitrary selector
`void` `add(ResourceCollection rc)` Add an arbitrary ResourceCollection to be deleted.
`void` `addAnd(AndSelector selector)` add an "And" selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addContains(ContainsSelector selector)` add a contains selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addContainsRegexp(ContainsRegexpSelector selector)` add a regular expression selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addCustom(ExtendSelector selector)` add an extended selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addDate(DateSelector selector)` add a selector date entry on the selector list
`void` `addDepend(DependSelector selector)` add a depends selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addDepth(DepthSelector selector)` add a depth selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addFilename(FilenameSelector selector)` add a selector filename entry on the selector list
`void` `addFileset(FileSet set)` Adds a set of files to be deleted.
`void` `addMajority(MajoritySelector selector)` add a majority selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addModified(ModifiedSelector selector)` add the modified selector
`void` `addNone(NoneSelector selector)` add a "None" selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addNot(NotSelector selector)` add a "Not" selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addOr(OrSelector selector)` add an "Or" selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addPresent(PresentSelector selector)` add a present selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addSelector(SelectSelector selector)` add a "Select" selector entry on the selector list
`void` `addSize(SizeSelector selector)` add a selector size entry on the selector list
`PatternSet.NameEntry` `createExclude()` add a name entry on the exclude list
`PatternSet.NameEntry` `createExcludesFile()` add a name entry on the include files list
`PatternSet.NameEntry` `createInclude()` add a name entry on the include list
`PatternSet.NameEntry` `createIncludesFile()` add a name entry on the include files list
`PatternSet` `createPatternSet()` add a set of patterns
`void` `execute()` Delete the file(s).
`protected void` `removeDir(java.io.File d)` Delete a directory
`protected void` `removeFiles(java.io.File d, java.lang.String[] files, java.lang.String[] dirs)` remove an array of files in a directory, and a list of subdirectories which will only be deleted if 'includeEmpty' is true
`void` `setCaseSensitive(boolean isCaseSensitive)` Sets case sensitivity of the file system
`void` `setDefaultexcludes(boolean useDefaultExcludes)` Sets whether default exclusions should be used or not.
`void` `setDeleteOnExit(boolean deleteOnExit)` If true, on failure to delete, note the error and set the deleteonexit flag, and continue
`void` `setDir(java.io.File dir)` Set the directory from which files are to be deleted
`void` `setExcludes(java.lang.String excludes)` Sets the set of exclude patterns.
`void` `setExcludesfile(java.io.File excludesfile)` Sets the name of the file containing the includes patterns.
`void` `setFailOnError(boolean failonerror)` If false, note errors but continue.
`void` `setFile(java.io.File file)` Set the name of a single file to be removed.
`void` `setFollowSymlinks(boolean followSymlinks)` Sets whether or not symbolic links should be followed.
`void` `setIncludeEmptyDirs(boolean includeEmpty)` If true, delete empty directories.
`void` `setIncludes(java.lang.String includes)` Sets the set of include patterns.
`void` `setIncludesfile(java.io.File includesfile)` Sets the name of the file containing the includes patterns.
`void` `setQuiet(boolean quiet)` If true and the file does not exist, do not display a diagnostic message or modify the exit status to reflect an error.
`void` `setRemoveNotFollowedSymlinks(boolean b)` Sets whether the symbolic links that have not been followed shall be removed (the links, not the locations they point at).
`void` `setVerbose(boolean verbose)` If true, list all names of deleted files.

Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MatchingTask
`addDifferent, addType, appendSelector, getDirectoryScanner, getImplicitFileSet, getSelectors, hasSelectors, selectorCount, selectorElements, setProject, XsetIgnore, XsetItems`

Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.Task
`bindToOwner, getOwningTarget, getRuntimeConfigurableWrapper, getTaskName, getTaskType, getWrapper, handleErrorFlush, handleErrorOutput, handleFlush, handleInput, handleOutput, init, isInvalid, log, log, log, log, maybeConfigure, perform, reconfigure, setOwningTarget, setRuntimeConfigurableWrapper, setTaskName, setTaskType`

Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent
`clone, getDescription, getLocation, getProject, setDescription, setLocation`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

Field Detail

### file

    protected java.io.File file

### dir

    protected java.io.File dir

### filesets

    protected java.util.Vector filesets

### usedMatchingTask

    protected boolean usedMatchingTask

### includeEmpty

    protected boolean includeEmpty

Constructor Detail

### Delete

    public Delete()

Method Detail

### setFile

    public void setFile(java.io.File file)

  Set the name of a single file to be removed.

  Parameters:
    `file` - the file to be deleted

### setDir

    public void setDir(java.io.File dir)

  Set the directory from which files are to be deleted

  Parameters:
    `dir` - the directory path.

### setVerbose

    public void setVerbose(boolean verbose)

  If true, list all names of deleted files.

  Parameters:
    `verbose` - "true" or "on"

### setQuiet

    public void setQuiet(boolean quiet)

  If true and the file does not exist, do not display a diagnostic message or modify the exit status to reflect an error. This means that if a file or directory cannot be deleted, then no error is reported. This setting emulates the -f option to the Unix "rm" command. Default is false meaning things are "noisy"

  Parameters:
    `quiet` - "true" or "on"

### setFailOnError

    public void setFailOnError(boolean failonerror)

  If false, note errors but continue.

  Parameters:
    `failonerror` - true or false

### setDeleteOnExit

    public void setDeleteOnExit(boolean deleteOnExit)

  If true, on failure to delete, note the error and set the deleteonexit flag, and continue

  Parameters:
    `deleteOnExit` - true or false

### setIncludeEmptyDirs

    public void setIncludeEmptyDirs(boolean includeEmpty)

  If true, delete empty directories.

  Parameters:
    `includeEmpty` - if true delete empty directories (only for filesets). Default is false.

### addFileset

    public void addFileset(FileSet set)

  Adds a set of files to be deleted.

  Parameters:
    `set` - the set of files to be deleted

### add

    public void add(ResourceCollection rc)

  Add an arbitrary ResourceCollection to be deleted.

  Parameters:
    `rc` - the filesystem-only ResourceCollection.

### createInclude

    public PatternSet.NameEntry createInclude()

  add a name entry on the include list

  Overrides:
    `createInclude` in class `MatchingTask`
  Returns:
    a NameEntry object to be configured

### createIncludesFile

    public PatternSet.NameEntry createIncludesFile()

  add a name entry on the include files list

  Overrides:
    `createIncludesFile` in class `MatchingTask`
  Returns:
    an NameEntry object to be configured

### createExclude

    public PatternSet.NameEntry createExclude()

  add a name entry on the exclude list

  Overrides:
    `createExclude` in class `MatchingTask`
  Returns:
    an NameEntry object to be configured

### createExcludesFile

    public PatternSet.NameEntry createExcludesFile()

  add a name entry on the include files list

  Overrides:
    `createExcludesFile` in class `MatchingTask`
  Returns:
    an NameEntry object to be configured

### createPatternSet

    public PatternSet createPatternSet()

  add a set of patterns

  Overrides:
    `createPatternSet` in class `MatchingTask`
  Returns:
    PatternSet object to be configured

### setIncludes

    public void setIncludes(java.lang.String includes)

  Sets the set of include patterns. Patterns may be separated by a comma or a space.

  Overrides:
    `setIncludes` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `includes` - the string containing the include patterns

### setExcludes

    public void setExcludes(java.lang.String excludes)

  Sets the set of exclude patterns. Patterns may be separated by a comma or a space.

  Overrides:
    `setExcludes` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `excludes` - the string containing the exclude patterns

### setDefaultexcludes

    public void setDefaultexcludes(boolean useDefaultExcludes)

  Sets whether default exclusions should be used or not.

  Overrides:
    `setDefaultexcludes` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `useDefaultExcludes` - "true"|"on"|"yes" when default exclusions should be used, "false"|"off"|"no" when they shouldn't be used.

### setIncludesfile

    public void setIncludesfile(java.io.File includesfile)

  Sets the name of the file containing the includes patterns.

  Overrides:
    `setIncludesfile` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `includesfile` - A string containing the filename to fetch the include patterns from.

### setExcludesfile

    public void setExcludesfile(java.io.File excludesfile)

  Sets the name of the file containing the includes patterns.

  Overrides:
    `setExcludesfile` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `excludesfile` - A string containing the filename to fetch the include patterns from.

### setCaseSensitive

    public void setCaseSensitive(boolean isCaseSensitive)

  Sets case sensitivity of the file system

  Overrides:
    `setCaseSensitive` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `isCaseSensitive` - "true"|"on"|"yes" if file system is case sensitive, "false"|"off"|"no" when not.

### setFollowSymlinks

    public void setFollowSymlinks(boolean followSymlinks)

  Sets whether or not symbolic links should be followed.

  Overrides:
    `setFollowSymlinks` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `followSymlinks` - whether or not symbolic links should be followed

### setRemoveNotFollowedSymlinks

    public void setRemoveNotFollowedSymlinks(boolean b)

  Sets whether the symbolic links that have not been followed shall be removed (the links, not the locations they point at).

  Since:
    Ant 1.8.0

### addSelector

    public void addSelector(SelectSelector selector)

  add a "Select" selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addSelector` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addSelector` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addAnd

    public void addAnd(AndSelector selector)

  add an "And" selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addAnd` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addAnd` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addOr

    public void addOr(OrSelector selector)

  add an "Or" selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addOr` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addOr` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addNot

    public void addNot(NotSelector selector)

  add a "Not" selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addNot` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addNot` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addNone

    public void addNone(NoneSelector selector)

  add a "None" selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addNone` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addNone` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addMajority

    public void addMajority(MajoritySelector selector)

  add a majority selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addMajority` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addMajority` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addDate

    public void addDate(DateSelector selector)

  add a selector date entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addDate` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addDate` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addSize

    public void addSize(SizeSelector selector)

  add a selector size entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addSize` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addSize` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addFilename

    public void addFilename(FilenameSelector selector)

  add a selector filename entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addFilename` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addFilename` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addCustom

    public void addCustom(ExtendSelector selector)

  add an extended selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addCustom` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addCustom` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addContains

    public void addContains(ContainsSelector selector)

  add a contains selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addContains` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addContains` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addPresent

    public void addPresent(PresentSelector selector)

  add a present selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addPresent` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addPresent` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addDepth

    public void addDepth(DepthSelector selector)

  add a depth selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addDepth` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addDepth` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addDepend

    public void addDepend(DependSelector selector)

  add a depends selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addDepend` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addDepend` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addContainsRegexp

    public void addContainsRegexp(ContainsRegexpSelector selector)

  add a regular expression selector entry on the selector list

  Specified by:
    `addContainsRegexp` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addContainsRegexp` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added

### addModified

    public void addModified(ModifiedSelector selector)

  add the modified selector

  Specified by:
    `addModified` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `addModified` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to add
  Since:
    ant 1.6

### add

    public void add(FileSelector selector)

  add an arbitrary selector

  Specified by:
    `add` in interface `SelectorContainer`
  Overrides:
    `add` in class `MatchingTask`
  Parameters:
    `selector` - the selector to be added
  Since:
    Ant 1.6

### execute

    public void execute()
                 throws BuildException

  Delete the file(s).

  Overrides:
    `execute` in class `Task`
  Throws:
    `BuildException` - if an error occurs

### removeDir

    protected void removeDir(java.io.File d)

  Delete a directory

  Parameters:
    `d` - the directory to delete

### removeFiles

    protected void removeFiles(java.io.File d,
                               java.lang.String[] files,
                               java.lang.String[] dirs)

  remove an array of files in a directory, and a list of subdirectories which will only be deleted if 'includeEmpty' is true

  Parameters:
    `d` - directory to work from
    `files` - array of files to delete; can be of zero length
    `dirs` - array of directories to delete; can of zero length