rmdir

Remove folder

Syntax

rmdir folderName

rmdir folderName s

rmdir(folderName,ResolveSymbolicLinks=tf)

status = rmdir(___)

[status,msg] = rmdir(___)

[status,msg,msgID] = rmdir(___)

Description

rmdir folderName removes the folder folderName from the current folder. folderName must be empty. If the operation is not successful, MATLAB^® throws an error to the Command Window.

rmdir folderName s also attempts to remove all subfolders and files in folderName, regardless of their write permissions. The result for read-only files follows the practices of the operating system.

rmdir(folderName,ResolveSymbolicLinks=tf) specifies whether to remove a symbolic link or its target. (since R2024b)

status = rmdir(___) removes the specified folder and returns a status of 1 if the operation is successful. Otherwise, rmdir returns 0. Warnings and errors are not thrown to the Command Window. You can use this syntax with any of the input argument combinations in the previous syntaxes.

[status,msg] = rmdir(___) also returns the message text for any warning or error that occurs.

[status,msg,msgID] = rmdir(___) also returns the message ID for any warning or error that occurs.

Examples

Remove Folders from Current Folder

Create the folders myproject and myproject/myfiles in the current folder, and then remove them.

mkdir myproject
mkdir myproject/myfiles

rmdir myproject/myfiles
rmdir myproject

Remove Nonempty Folder

Remove the folder myfiles, which contains the files myfile1.m and myfile2.m.

Create the folder myfiles and move the files myfile1.m and myfile2.m from the current folder into the new folder.

mkdir myfiles
movefile myfile1.m myfiles
movefile myfile2.m myfiles

Try to remove the folder myfiles using rmdir. Because the myfiles folder is not empty, the operation fails and returns a status of 0 and an error message detailing why the operation failed.

[status, message, messageid] = rmdir('myfiles')

status = logical
   0

message = 
''myfiles' was not removed. The directory must be empty before removing.'

messageid = 
'MATLAB:RMDIR:DirectoryNotRemoved'

Now, use the 's' flag to remove the folder myfiles. A status of 1 and an empty message and messageid indicate that the operation is successful.

[status, message, messageid] = rmdir('myfiles', 's')

status = logical
   1

message =

  0×0 empty char array


messageid =

  0×0 empty char array

Input Arguments

folderName — Name of folder to remove

character vector | string scalar

Name of folder to remove, specified as a character vector or string scalar. Specify folderName as an absolute or relative path.

tf — Remove target of symbolic link

false or 0 (default) | true or 1

Since R2024b

Remove the target of the symbolic link, specified as a numeric or logical 0 (false) or 1 (true). If tf is true, rmdir removes the target of the symbolic link. The symbolic link itself remains but directs to a deleted folder. If tf is false, rmdir removes the symbolic link itself.

Output Arguments

status — Folder removal status

0 | 1

Status of folder indicating if the attempt to remove the folder is successful, returned as 0 or 1. If the attempt is successful, status is 1. Otherwise, status is 0.

Data Types: logical

msg — Error message

character vector

Error message, returned as a character vector. If an error or warning occurs, msg contains the message text of the error or warning. Otherwise, msg is empty, ''.

msgID — Error message identifier

character vector

Error message identifier, returned as a character vector. If an error or warning occurs, msgID contains the message identifier of the error or warning. Otherwise, msgID is empty, ''.

Tips

• As with local folders, rmdir cannot remove nonempty virtual folders unless you specify the s flag. Some file services do not support empty folders. On these services, if rmdir removes folders and leaves their parent folder empty, then the parent folder is removed as well. For more information, see Work with Remote Data.

Alternative Functionality

In the Files panel, right-click the folder name and select Delete from the context menu. To open the Files panel, use the filebrowser command.

Extended Capabilities

Thread-Based Environment
Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

R2024b: Use symbolic links to manipulate folders

You can remove folders using symbolic links. When you specify a symbolic link as input, you can control whether to remove the symbolic link itself or remove its target.

R2020a: Wildcard expression *.* on UNIX platforms matches only files that have an extension

Starting in R2020a, on UNIX^® platforms, the wildcard expression *.* no longer matches folders or files without an extension. In previous releases, the expression matches folders or files regardless of extension, including files without an extension. This change of behavior does not apply to Microsoft^® Windows^® platforms.