Delete empty folders (one-click function)

[Vochomurka]

I tried this (only at windows command line), so i can give some additional information:

• development of xxcopy was discontinued
• is is not free for commercial use
• it is free for personal use
• the installation copies files to \windows\system32
  1. Copied C:\WINDOWS\system32\XXCOPYSU.EXE
  2. Copied C:\WINDOWS\system32\XXPBAR64.EXE
  3. Copied C:\WINDOWS\system32\XXCONSOLE.EXE
  4. Copied C:\WINDOWS\system32\UIXXCOPY.BAT
  5. Copied C:\WINDOWS\system32\XXCOPY.CHM

It does not work with long path names, example:

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mkdir d:\1\2\a123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567
move d:\1\2 d:\1\b123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567

1. Yes, development was discontinued, and I've never stated the opposite. Nevertheless the program works;
2. True; so what?
3. I am a person, you seem to be one, too;
4. These are just default paths; they can be changed at the installation. Run Install.bat and read instructions;
5. It does; read the documentation about the /VL key. Max path length is 32767 characters

[Horst.Epp]

I use Xxcopy tool for this purpose. I created batch file with one line

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xxcopy.exe %1 /rmdir /x*.* /yy

It's exactly one-click button

If you change xxcopy.exe to xxcopysu.exe you can avoid the UAC prompt.

[Fla$her]

removing empty folders (example):

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robocopy d:\1 d:\1 /S /MOVE /NDL

So he will delete folder 1 itself if it turns out to be empty. Need like this:

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%ComSpec% /q/c cd/d d:\1&robocopy d:\1 d:\1 /s /move /ndl /nfl /njh /njs

[beb]

Working user command aimed to delete any empty (sub)directories within the current directory in the active panel:

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[em_deletemptydirs]
cmd=robocopy . . /s /move  /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS

or, respecting the "%ComSpec% /q/c >nul" part in front according to Fla$her

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[em_deletemptydirs]
cmd=%ComSpec% /q/c>nul robocopy . . /s /move /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS

Such a command can be placed by a user either in a button bar or in a menu.

From here: viewtopic.php?p=423466#p423466

[beb]

Fully PowerShell-powered one-click user command to recursively delete any empty (sub)directories within the current directory in the active panel:

button:

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TOTALCMD#BAR#DATA
em_delEmptyDirs

wciconex.dll,85
DeleteEmptyDirs

0
10030

usercmd.ini:

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[em_delEmptyDirs]
cmd=Powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
param=ls (gl) -for -rec|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(ls -lit $_.Fullname -for -rec|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|del -for -rec

usercmd.ini (the same as above in full syntax without any aliases and contractions, thus the longest version):

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[em_delEmptyDirs]
cmd=Powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
param=Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Remove-Item -force -recurse

NB The above-mentioned robocopy-based command has a critical downside since it removes all the attributes of the folders (R - Read only; S - System; H - Hidden) if any, except A (Archive). PowerShell-powered command doesn't have such a flaw.

[KozakMak]

let's complicate the task
delete any empty (sub)directories within the current directory in the active panel to recycle bin

any ideas?

[beb]

delete any empty (sub)directories within the current directory in the active panel...

No problem, I do it this way [without any 3rd party tools, and robocopy, which I don't recommend]:
usercmd.ini
[TotalCommander .ini only, no standalone .ps1 PowerShell script needed]

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[em_delEmptyDirs]
cmd=Powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
param=ls (gl) -for -rec|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(ls -lit $_.Fullname -for -rec|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|del -for -rec

As far as I know, this is the best and the only effectively legit way to do it properly in PowerShell, in one pass and without any side-effects described here and there.
NB Unaliased code for better reading and understanding:
[deleting empty directories within the current directory from a standalone .ps1 PowerShell script]:

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Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Remove-Item -force -recurse

... to recycle bin

Not sure about this part -- I don't utilize RecycleBin on my PCs.
Though, as I may assume if the RecycleBin is turned on it's a system-wise property, that affects all the common applications, including PowerShell Remove-Item a.k.a. del. Just check the above command and you will see.

[KozakMak]

2beb
https://ibb.co/xqDr5my

must be run as elevated for some dirs

...and of course recycle bin was bypassed

[beb]

...and of course recycle bin was bypassed

Feel free to try modifying the script to fit your needs regarding the relevant lookup results:
Google: PowerShell move folders to recycle bin

NB Out of curiosity, couldn't you be so kind as to remove this ritual "sorry for my poor English" from your signature, sinse it's just ridiculous.
Google: stop apologizing for bad English

Edit:

... https://ibb.co/xqDr5my ...

С:\Users\admin\AppData\...

By the way, I strongly do not recommend to nonchalantly carpet bombing locations alike %UserProfile%, %AppData% with such commands without proper consideration on where exactly you are and what exactly you are going to do. There are a bunch of pretty dumb apps that can store sensitive structures there (even represented by some seemingly aimless empty folders) and just would refuse to start anymore if you delete even the empty folders that were meant to belong to them to work, and they won't ever start again until you recreate the appropriate structures exactly as required (from the backups, or manually), or until you reinstall them.

[KozakMak]

and what exactly you are going to do.

циган знає що кобилі робить

I know what i'm doing

As a conclusion, I see that at the moment there are no transparent and safe solutions in this matter.
It should be something like RED:
- a list of everything that will be deleted should be displayed
- recycle bin must be used
- there should be error handling

...even TotalCmd with plugin search doesn't handle it correctly - try searching in %temp% and then deleting folder with write permission.

[beb]

2KozakMak

PowerShell_DeletEmptyFolders_withLog_example.ps1

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"";"displaying working directory:";([System.Environment]::CurrentDirectory)
"";"deleting empty directories..."
$stamp = (Get-Date -format "yyyyMMdd_HHmmssf");$log = $($stamp+'_del.log')
$output = $(Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Remove-Item -force -recurse -Verbose -ErrorAction Ignore) 4>&1
"";"displaying deleted folders:";$output|Tee-Object $log -Append
"";"deleted folders logged in:";$log
"";pause

- a list of everything that will be deleted should be displayed

All the deleted empty folders are displayed in the example script.

- recycle bin must be used

What's the point? No way, this crap is not for me.
Instead, all the deleted folders are listed in the log file and can be restored by their full paths if needed.

- there should be error handling

In the example script error handling is simple -- ignore.

You can modify this script according to your needs, for instance:
PowerShell_DeletEmptyFolders_withLog_example_v2.ps1

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"";"displaying working directory:";([System.Environment]::CurrentDirectory)
"";"locating empty folders that can be deleted..."
$stamp = (Get-Date -format "yyyyMMdd_HHmmssf");$log = $($stamp+'_del.log')
$output = $(Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName|Out-File $log -Append) 4>&1
"";"displaying empty folders that can be deleted:";Get-Content($log)

This script locates all the empty folders that can be deleted, displays them, and saves their paths in the log file.
Then you can add a part to just delete those folders (or some of them) using their list in the log file.

[KozakMak]

for myself I decided to settle on this solution with .reg-menu

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\del empty dirs\command]
@="cmd.exe /K for /f \"usebackq delims=\" %%d in (`\"dir \"%V\" /ad/b/s | sort /R\"`) do rd \"%%~d\""

[beb]

2KozakMak

PowerShell_DeletEmptyFolders_Display_Log_Remove.ps1

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"creating test folders structure:"
$md = '.\empty\empty'    ;New-Item $md -force -Type directory         >$null; $md
$md = '.\empty\folder'   ;New-Item $md -force -Type directory         >$null; $md
$md = '.\empty\structure';New-Item $md -force -Type directory         >$null; $md
$md = '.\empty\file.txt' ;New-Item $md -force -Type file -value "file">$null; $md

"";"working directory:";([System.Environment]::CurrentDirectory)

"";"empty folders that can be deleted:"
$stamp = (Get-Date -format "yyyyMMdd_HHmmssf");$log = $($stamp+'_del.log')
Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName|Out-File $log
Get-Content($log)

"";"empty folders actually being deleted:"
Get-ChildItem (Get-Location) -force -recurse|Where {$_.PSIsContainer -and @(Get-ChildItem -literalPath $_.Fullname -force -recurse|Where {!$_.PSIsContainer}).Length -eq 0}|Remove-Item -force -recurse -Verbose -ErrorAction Ignore 4>&1

"";"see deleted folders list in a log file:";$log
"";pause

Example script output:
https://i.imgur.com/9l9QcSA.png

[KozakMak]

working directory - must be %P for button

[beb]

working directory - must be %P for button

Nope. If your "working directory" implies it is a directory opened in the active panel, you don't need to pass any parameters to the script at all.

Just try a button like this:

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TOTALCMD#BAR#DATA
PowerShell y:\our\path\to\the\script\PowerShell_DeletEmptyFolders_Display_Log_Remove.ps1

TOTALCMD.EXE
PowerShell_DeletEmptyFolders_Display_Log_Remove

0
-1