DEL and ERASE + Deleting Files

Deletes files.

VERSION

PC-DOS 2.0+ (revised from 1.1)

MS-DOS equivalent: DEL/ andERASE (2.0+)

TYPE

Internal

SYNTAX

ERASE [d:][path]filename

DEL [d:][path]filename

OPTIONS

[d:][path]filename Specifies the file or group of

files to be erased.

EXAMPLES

DEL TEST.TXT

BEFORE: File directory lists MSTEST.TXT in current directory.

AFTER: File directory no longer lists MSTEST.TXT in current

directory.

ERASE A:*.*

BEFORE: File directory lists all files created in current

directory.

AFTER: File directory lists no files in current directory.

Note that when you use the global wildcard *.*, you will be

prompted to confirm the deletion (see the MESSAGES that follow).

DEL C:\WP\FILES\*.CAP

BEFORE: File directory lists all files in directory C:\WP\FILES

with the extension .CAP.

AFTER: File directory lists no files with the extension .CAP in

directory C:\WP\FILES.

DEL C:\WP

BEFORE: File directory lists all files in directory C:\WP.

AFTER: File directory lists no files in directory C:\WP.

MESSAGES

Are you sure (Y/N)?

You have specified *.* (all files regardless of extension). Enter

Y to erase all files on the specified drive and directory;

otherwise, enter N.

File not found

DOS was unable to locate the file(s) you specified. Check the

path name and try again.

Invalid number of parameters

Check the path name and try again.

UNDO

You can restore files deleted with the DEL or ERASE command

with a DOS utility such as the Norton Utilities or Mace

Utilities, or by using the DOS DEBUG program.

NOTE

The DEL and ERASE commands are used to erase files, not

directories. You may issue the command as DELETE, DEL, or ERASE.

If no drive is specified, the current drive is assumed. If you

specify a directory instead of a file, all files in that

directory will be erased. You cannot delete files that have been

marked as read-only. Versions of the command after version 1.0

require confirmations to prompts before erasing.

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SEE ALSO

ATTRIB Command

COPY Command

DIR Command

PRINT Command

RENAME EN) Command

REPLACE Command

SHARE Command

TYPE Command

VERIFY Command

XCOPY Command