Is it possible with Java to delete to the Recycle Bin?

Question

Java is the key here. I need to be able to delete files but users expect to be able to \"undelete\" from the recycle bin. As far as I can tell this isn\'t

Answer 1

I have found this RFE on suns site: http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=5080625

This tells me there is not a native java way to do this. and as @John Topley just posted the only solution is a JNI call.

Answer 2

For various reasons Windows has no concept of a folder that simply corresponds to the Recycle Bin.

The correct way is to use JNI to invoke the Windows SHFileOperation API, setting the FO_DELETE flag in the SHFILEOPSTRUCT structure.

• SHFileOperation documention
• Java example for copying a file using SHFileOperation (the Recycle Bin link in the same article doesn't work)

Answer 3

Java 9 has new method but in my case I am restricted to Java 8. I found Java Native Access Platform that has hasTrash() and moveToTrash() method. I tested it on Win 10 and Mac OS (Worked) for me.

static boolean moveToTrash(String filePath) {
        File file = new File(filePath);

        FileUtils fileUtils =  FileUtils.getInstance();
        if (fileUtils.hasTrash()) {

            try {
                fileUtils.moveToTrash(new File[] { file });
                return true;
            } catch (IOException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
                return false;
            }
        } else {
            System.out.println("No Trash");
            return false;
        }
    }

Maven Repository https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/net.java.dev.jna/jna-platform/5.1.0

Don't confuse It is Java Native Access Platform not Java Native Access

Answer 4

As John Topley suggests, you must do this with a native operation. In case you don't want to get your hands dirty with some JNI, you could use a library called Java Native Access to do the native calls.

Answer 5

My 3 cents - use cmd util Recycle.exe with -f to force recycle (no prompt). Works perfectly.

public class Trash {

    public void moveToTrash(File ... file) throws IOException {
        moveToTrash(false, file);
    }

    public void promptMoveToTrash(File ... file) throws IOException {
        moveToTrash(true, file);
    }

    private void moveToTrash(boolean withPrompt, File ... file) throws IOException {
        String fileList = Stream.of(file).map(File::getAbsolutePath).reduce((f1, f2)->f1+" "+f2).orElse("");
        Runtime.getRuntime().exec("Recycle.exe "+(withPrompt ? "" : "-f ")+fileList);
    }

}

Answer 6

In JNA platform, the FileUtils doesn't use Win32 API. You should prefer W32FileUtils which supports Undo (restore the file from recycle bin).