Delete a file

This example prompts the user for a file to delete (using the Common Dialog Control), asks whether they want to delete it or send it to the recycle bin, and then performs the appropriate action

Note: If all you want to do is delete a file, then simply use
Kill Filename

First, add a common dialog control to your form, a command button called cmdDelete, and then insert the following code into the form.

Private Sub cmdDelete_Click()
    ' Set filter to show all files
    CommonDialog1.Filter = "All Files (*.*)|*.*"
    ' Only allow user to select files that exist (ie not type the name)
    CommonDialog1.Flags = cdlOFNFileMustExist
    ' Set the dialog title
    CommonDialog1.DialogTitle = "Select file to delete"
    On Error GoTo DialogCancelled
    CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
    ' Delete the selected file
    Select Case MsgBox("Do you want to send this file to the recycle bin? (Clicking no will delete it permamently, and Cancel will cancel the action)", vbDefaultButton1 + vbYesNoCancel)
    Case vbYes
        DeleteFile CommonDialog1.filename, True 'recycle
    Case vbNo
        DeleteFile CommonDialog1.filename, False 'delete
    End Select
    Exit Sub
DialogCancelled:
    ' Exit procedure
End Sub

Next, add this code to a module:

Option Explicit

Public Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hWnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAnyOperationsAborted As Long
    hNameMappings As Long
    lpszProgressTitle As Long '  only used if FOF_SIMPLEPROGRESS
End Type
Public Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long
Public Const FO_COPY = &H2
Public Const FO_DELETE = &H3
Public Const FO_MOVE = &H1
Public Const FO_RENAME = &H4
Public Const FOF_ALLOWUNDO = &H40
Public Const FOF_NOCONFIRMATION = &H10  ' No Confirmation
Public Const FOF_NOCONFIRMMKDIR = &H200
Public Const FOF_SIMPLEPROGRESS = &H100

Public Sub DeleteFile(gFile As String, bAllowUndo As Boolean)
    Dim op As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    With op
        .wFunc = FO_DELETE
        .pFrom = gFile
        If bAllowUndo = True Then
            .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO + FOF_NOCONFIRMATION
        End If
    End With
    SHFileOperation op
End Sub
'
'not used in this example
'
Public Sub CopyFile(sFileSource As String, NewLoc As String)
    Dim op As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    If sFileSource = "" Or NewLoc = "" Then Exit Sub
    With op
        .wFunc = FO_COPY
        .pTo = NewLoc
        .pFrom = sFileSource
        .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO '+ FOF_SIMPLEPROGRESS
    End With
    SHFileOperation op
End Sub
Public Sub MoveFile(sFileSource As String, NewLoc As String)
    Dim op As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    If sFileSource = "" Or NewLoc = "" Then Exit Sub
    With op
        .wFunc = FO_MOVE
        .pTo = NewLoc
        .pFrom = sFileSource
        .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO
    End With
    SHFileOperation op
End Sub