| **Navigation:**  [[introduction.htm|Language Reference]] > 13 - Built-in Functions >====== REMOVE (delete files/folders) ====== | [[release  release a held record .htm|{{btn_prev_n.gif|Previous page}}]][[introduction.htm|{{btn_home_n.gif|Return to chapter overview}}]][[rename  change file directory name .htm|{{btn_next_n.gif|Next page}}]] |
|  ||

**REMOVE(**//file//**)**

**REMOVE(<;name>,<;options>)**

{{blk2blue.jpg|blk2blue.jpg}}

| **REMOVE** | Deletes a FILE. |
| //file// | The **label** of the FILE to be removed, or a string constant or variable containing the filename of the file to erase. |

There are two variants of the REMOVE function.

**REMOVE(file)** deletes a physical file. The //file// must be closed, or the "File Already Open" error is posted. If any error is posted, the file is not removed.

Since some file drivers use multiple physical disk files for one logical FILE structure, the default filename and extension assumptions are dependent on the file driver. If any error is posted, the file is not deleted.

**REMOVE(<;name> [,<;options>])**

| **REMOVE** | \\ |
| name | <;name> is a constant string, string variable or expression naming file(s) to be erased. Wildcards are allowed in  specifying the file(s), but wildcards in the Path specification are not supported |
| options | <;options> is a set of flags to control how to erase files/directories. If the <;options> parameter is omitted, the default value REMOVE:FILESONLY is used. |

The following EQUATEs are defined in EQUATES.CLW:

REMOVE:FILESONLY         EQUATE(01h)

REMOVE:RECURSIVE         EQUATE(02h)

REMOVE:PROGRESS          EQUATE(04h)

REMOVE:CONFIRM           EQUATE(08h)

REMOVE:FILESONLY - if set in <;options>, only files are erased, directories are not removed

REMOVE:RECURSIVE - if set in <;options>, files in nested sub-directories are recursively removed

REMOVE:PROGRESS  - if set in <;options>, the progress dialog is displayed

REMOVE:CONFIRM   - if set in <;options>, a dialog asking confirmation to remove files/directories is displayed

If the <;options> parameter is omitted, the default value REMOVE:FILESONLY is used.

**Errors Posted:**

| 02 | File Not Found |
| 03 | The system cannot find the path specified. |
| 05 | Access Denied |
| 52 | File Already Open |

**Example:**

**REMOVE('Changes.dat')   !Delete the changes file**

**REMOVE('*.bak', REMOVE:RECURSIVE)**\\ ** **

**See Also:**

[[close  close a data structure .htm|CLOSE]]