This page has been replaced.
Click here to go to the new page.

    Kill "C:\Temp\Test.txt"

You need to remember, though, that Kill permanently deletes the file.  There is no way to "undo" the delete. The file is not sent to the Windows Recycle Bin.  VBA does not provide a built-in way to send a file to the Recycle Bin, but with a call to a Windows API (Application Programming Interface) procedure, you can send a file to the Recycle Bin.

To delete the contents of a folder (all file and subfolders), but leave the folder intact, see the Empty Folder page. The function below will send the file or folder identified by FileSpec to the Recycle Bin, with following restrictions.

• FileSpec must exist.
• FileSpec must be a fully qualified file name (including drive and folder information) of a file on a local disk. You cannot recycle files that are on a mapped drive or a network share.
• FileSpec must not contains the '*' or '?' wildcard characters.
• FileSpec must not be open by another process.
• FileSpec must not a marked as a System file or folder.
• FileSpec must not be ThisWorkbook.
• FileSpec must not be the root directory of a drive.
• FileSpec must not be an empty string
   

Additionally, the code prevents you from deleting the following folders, although you can delete file or folders within these folders:

• System Directory, typically "C:\Windows\System32, the directory returned by GetSystemDirectory.
• Windows Directory, typically "C:\Windows", the parent folder of the folder returned by GetSystemDirectory
• Program Files Directory, typically "C:\Program Files", the top level directory of the directory returned by Application.Path.
• My Documents, typically "%userprofile%\My Documents".
• Desktop, typically "%userprofile%\Desktop".
• Application.Path
• ThisWorkbook.Path

The code below will delete a file or folder, and return a result of True or False indicating the success of the operation. If the recycle operation was not successfully carried out, the public variable G_RecycleErrorText will contain an error message describing why the specified file or folder could not be send to the Windows Recycle Bin.

The code is shown below. You can download a bas module file here.

Option Explicit
Option Compare Text
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' modRecycle
' By Chip Pearson, www.cpearson.com , chip@cpearson.com
' This contains function for sending files and folder to the Windows Recycle Bin.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Error message text is put in this
' variable which describes the
' reason that RecycleFileOrFolder
' return a False result.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public G_RecycleErrorText As String


''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Windows API functions, constants,and types.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Private Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" Alias _
    "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long

Private Declare Function PathIsNetworkPath Lib "shlwapi.dll" _
    Alias "PathIsNetworkPathA" ( _
    ByVal pszPath As String) As Long

Private Declare Function GetSystemDirectory Lib "kernel32" _
    Alias "GetSystemDirectoryA" ( _
    ByVal lpBuffer As String, _
    ByVal nSize As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function SHEmptyRecycleBin _
    Lib "shell32" Alias "SHEmptyRecycleBinA" _
    (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
     ByVal pszRootPath As String, _
     ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Private Const FO_DELETE = &H3
Private Const FOF_ALLOWUNDO = &H40
Private Const FOF_NOCONFIRMATION = &H10
Private Const MAX_PATH As Long = 260

Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hwnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAnyOperationsAborted As Boolean
    hNameMappings As Long
    lpszProgressTitle As String
End Type

Public Function RecycleFileOrFolder(FileSpec As String) As Boolean
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' RecycleFileOrFolder
' This procedure sends FileSpec to the Windows Recycle Bin. It returns True if
' successful or False if an error occurred.
'
' FileSpec must be the fully qualified file name on a local drive (not a mapped
' drive or a network share). FileSpec may be either a file name or a folder name.
'
' An error will occurred and the funciton will return False
' if any of the following are true:
' -------------------------------------------------------------
'   FileSpec does not exist
'   FileSpec is not a fully qualified file name (including Drive and Path
'            information)
'   FileSpec contains the wildcard characters '*' or '?'.
'   FileSpec is in use by another process
'   FileSpec is a System folder (however, files within a system folder
'            may be recycled).
'   FileSpec is ThisWorkbook.
'   FileSpec is ThisWorkbook.Path
'   FileSpec is a root directory of any drive
'
' Also, the following folders may not be recycled (although a file within
'   these folder may be recycled):
' -----------------------------------------------------------
'       C:\Windows\System32     ' returned by GetSystemDirectory
'       C:\Windows              ' parent of GetSystemDirectory
'       C:\Program Files        ' top level folder of Application.Path
'       C:\<user-profile>\My Documents
'       C:\<user-profile>\Desktop
'       Application.Path
'       ThisWorkbook.Path
'
' A text description of the error is placed in the G_RecycleErrorText variable.
'
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    Dim FileOperation As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    Dim lReturn As Long
    Dim Attr As VbFileAttribute
    Dim SystemFolder As String
    Dim WindowsFolder As String
    Dim ProgramFilesFolder As String '*
    Dim MyDocumentsFolder As String '*
    Dim ThisWorkbookFolder As String
    Dim DesktopFolder As String '*
    Dim ShellObj As Object
    Dim Pos As Integer
    Dim sFileSpec As String
    
    
    Dim ProtectedFolders(1 To 7) As String
    Const C_ARR_WINDOWS = 1
    Const C_ARR_WINDOWS_SYSTEM32 = 2
    Const C_ARR_PROGRAM_FILES = 3
    Const C_ARR_MYDOCUMENTS = 4
    Const C_ARR_DESKTOP = 5
    Const C_ARR_APP_PATH = 6
    Const C_ARR_THISWORKBOOK_PATH = 7
    
    
    G_RecycleErrorText = vbNullString
    sFileSpec = Trim(FileSpec)
    
    
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we weren't passed a empty string
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If Trim(sFileSpec) = vbNullString Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "Specified Filename is empty or spaces."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
   
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Get rid of trailing slash.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If Len(sFileSpec) > 1 Then
        If Right(sFileSpec, 1) = "\" Then
            sFileSpec = Left(sFileSpec, Len(sFileSpec) - 1)
        End If
    End If
          
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' System Folder, typically "C:\Windows\System32"
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    SystemFolder = String$(MAX_PATH, vbNullChar)
    GetSystemDirectory SystemFolder, Len(SystemFolder)
    SystemFolder = Left(SystemFolder, InStr(1, SystemFolder, vbNullChar, vbBinaryCompare) - 1)
    
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Windows Folder, parent of SystemFolder,
    ' typically "C:\Windows"
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    Pos = InStrRev(SystemFolder, "\", -1, vbBinaryCompare)
    If Pos > 0 Then
        WindowsFolder = Left(SystemFolder, Pos - 1)
    End If
    
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Program Files. Top directory of Application.Path.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    Pos = InStr(1, Application.Path, "\", vbBinaryCompare)
    If Pos > 0 Then
        Pos = InStr(Pos + 1, Application.Path, "\", vbBinaryCompare)
        If Pos > 0 Then
            ProgramFilesFolder = Left(Application.Path, Pos - 1)
        End If
    End If
    
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Get an instance of WScript.Shell to
    ' retreive the "My Documents" and "Desktop"
    ' folders.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    Set ShellObj = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' My Documents
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    MyDocumentsFolder = ShellObj.SpecialFolders("MyDocuments")

    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Desktop
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    DesktopFolder = ShellObj.SpecialFolders("Desktop")

    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Load up the array protected folders. None of
    ' these folders may be recycled, although folders and
    ' files within these folders may be recycled.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_WINDOWS) = WindowsFolder
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_WINDOWS_SYSTEM32) = SystemFolder
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_PROGRAM_FILES) = ProgramFilesFolder
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_MYDOCUMENTS) = MyDocumentsFolder
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_DESKTOP) = DesktopFolder
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_APP_PATH) = Application.Path
    ProtectedFolders(C_ARR_THISWORKBOOK_PATH) = ThisWorkbook.Path
      
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Check if the file or folder exists.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If Dir(sFileSpec, vbNormal + vbArchive + vbSystem _
              + vbHidden + vbDirectory) = vbNullString Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' does not exist."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure that sFile isn't a network file name. You
    ' can't recycle network files.
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If PathIsNetworkPath(sFileSpec) <> 0 Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' is on a mapped drive or network share."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If

    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we have a fully qualified file name. That
    ' means it has a drive specification character (:).
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If InStr(1, sFileSpec, ":") = 0 Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec _
            & "' is not a fully qualified file name."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we don't have a root directory.
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If (sFileSpec Like "?:\") Or (sFileSpec Like "??:\") Or _
    (sFileSpec Like "?:") Or (sFileSpec Like "??:") Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder is a drive root directory."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If

    If InStr(1, sFileSpec, "?", vbBinaryCompare) Or _
            InStr(1, sFileSpec, "*", vbBinaryCompare) Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The file specification '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' contains '?' or '*' wildcards."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
        
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure sFileSpec is not a protected directory
    ' as we define a protected directory.
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    For Pos = LBound(ProtectedFolders) To UBound(ProtectedFolders)
        If StrComp(sFileSpec, ProtectedFolders(Pos), vbTextCompare) = 0 Then
            G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
                "' names a folder that this procedure will not recycle."
            RecycleFileOrFolder = False
            Exit Function
        End If
    Next Pos
        
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we are not dealing with a system file or
    ' folder.
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    Attr = GetAttr(sFileSpec)
    If Attr And vbSystem Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' is a system file or folder."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
        
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we're not deleting our own directory.
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If StrComp(sFileSpec, ThisWorkbook.Path, vbTextCompare) = 0 Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' refers to ThisWorkbook's Path."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    ' Ensure we're not deleting the application's
    ' folder.
    ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    If StrComp(sFileSpec, Application.Path, vbTextCompare) = 0 Then
        G_RecycleErrorText = "The specified file or folder '" & sFileSpec & _
            "' refers to Application's Path."
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
        Exit Function
    End If

    With FileOperation
        .wFunc = FO_DELETE
        .pFrom = sFileSpec
        .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO
        '
        ' OR if you want to suppress the "Do You want
        ' to delete the file" message, use
        '
        .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO + FOF_NOCONFIRMATION

    End With

    lReturn = SHFileOperation(FileOperation)
    If lReturn = 0 Then
        RecycleFileOrFolder = True
    Else
        RecycleFileOrFolder = False
    End If
End Function

It should be noted that Kill is much, much, faster than recycling a file, because recycling means copying the file. If you are deleting many files, you may want to stick with Kill. Just be sure you are killing the right file.

NOTE: When you call RecycleFileOrFolder, you must provide the full file name, including the drive name and folder path. Otherwise, the file may be permanently deleted and not sent to the Recycle Bin.

Recycling An Entire Folder

You can recycle an entire folder using the same code as Recycle File. Just substitute the folder name for the file name. If the folder is not empty, all of its contents will, of course, go to the recycle bin in the folder.

NOTE: When you call RecycleFileOrFolder, you must provide the full folder name, including the drive name and folder path. Otherwise, the file may be permanently deleted and not sent to the Recycle Bin.

Emptying The Recycle Bin

You can use another Windows API function to empty the Recycle Bin.  Put the following code at the top of a standard code module. Note that if you have separate Recycle Bins for each drive, this will empty all the Recycle Bins. If you want to empty the Recycle Bin for a specific drive, change vbNullString to "C:\" where "C:\" is the root of the drive whose Recycle Bin you want to empty.   The following code will empty the Recycle Bin. The code shown below uses the API functions, types, and constants declared at the beginning of the RecycleFileOrFolder code shown above.

Sub EmptyRecycleBin(Optional DriveRoot As String = vbNullString)
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' EmptyRecycleBin
' This procedure empties the Recycle Bin. If your system is configured to
' maintain separate Recycle Bins for each drive, you can specify the DriveRoot
' of the drive whose Recycle Bin you want to empty. If DriveRoot is omitted,
' all the drives' Recycle Bins will be emptied.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Const SHERB_NOCONFIRMATION = &H1
Const SHERB_NOPROGRESSUI = &H2
Const SHERB_NOSOUND = &H4

Dim Res As Long
If DriveRoot <> vbNullString Then
    If PathIsNetworkPath(DriveRoot) <> 0 Then
        MsgBox "You can't empty the Recycle Bin of a network drive."
        Exit Sub
    End If
End If

Res = SHEmptyRecycleBin(hwnd:=0&, _
                        pszRootPath:=DriveRoot, _
                        dwFlags:=SHERB_NOCONFIRMATION + _
                                 SHERB_NOPROGRESSUI + 
                                 SHERB_NOSOUND)

End Sub