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Showing content from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/FileAPI/nf-fileapi-deletefile2a below:

DeleteFile2A function (fileapi.h) - Win32 apps

Deletes an existing file. This function will fail if any part of lpFileName is redirected via a reparse point or symbolic link.

To perform this operation as a transacted operation, use the DeleteFileTransacted function.

Syntax
BOOL DeleteFile2A(
  LPCSTR lpFileName,
  DWORD  Flags
);
Parameters

lpFileName

The name of the file to be deleted.

By default, the name is limited to MAX_PATH characters. To extend this limit to 32,767 wide characters, prepend "\\?\" to the path. For more information, see Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces.

Tip

You can opt-in to remove the MAX_PATH limitation without prepending "\\?\". See the "Maximum Path Length Limitation" section of Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces for details.

Flags

Flags to specify how to treat the file that is being deleted. This parameter can be a combination one the following values:

Value Meaning FILE_FLAGS_DISALLOW_PATH_REDIRECTS
0x00000001 Prevent lpFileName from being redirected by reparse points or symbolic links. Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero (0). To get extended error information, call GetLastError. Possible errors include the following:

Return code Description ERROR_PATH_REDIRECTED lpFileName was redirected by reparse points and/or symbolic links.

If an application attempts to delete a file that does not exist, the DeleteFile2 function fails with ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND. If the file is a read-only file, the function fails with ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED.

The following list identifies some tips for deleting, removing, or closing files:

If you set up a directory with all access except delete and delete child, and the access control lists (ACL) of new files are inherited, then you can create a file without being able to delete it. However, then you can create a file, and then get all the access you request on the handle that is returned to you at the time you create the file.

If you request delete permission at the time you create a file, you can delete or rename the file with that handle, but not with any other handle. For more information, see File Security and Access Rights.

The DeleteFile2 function fails if an application attempts to delete a file that has other handles open for normal I/O or as a memory-mapped file (FILE_SHARE_DELETE must have been specified when other handles were opened).

The DeleteFile2 function marks a file for deletion on close. Therefore, the file deletion does not occur until the last handle to the file is closed. Subsequent calls to CreateFile, CreateFile2, or CreateFile3 to open the file fail with ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED.

The use of POSIX delete causes the file to be deleted while handles remain open. Subsequent calls to CreateFile to open the file fail with ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND.

Symbolic link behavior

If the path points to a symbolic link, the symbolic link is deleted, not the target. To delete a target, you must call CreateFile and specify FILE_FLAG_DELETE_ON_CLOSE.

This function is supported by the following technologies:

Technology Supported Server Message Block (SMB) 3.0 protocol Yes SMB 3.0 Transparent Failover (TFO) Yes SMB 3.0 with Scale-out File Shares (SO) Yes Cluster Shared Volume File System (CsvFS) Yes Resilient File System (ReFS) Yes

Note

The fileapi.h header defines DeleteFile2 as an alias that automatically selects the ANSI or Unicode version of this function based on the definition of the UNICODE preprocessor constant. Mixing usage of the encoding-neutral alias with code that is not encoding-neutral can lead to mismatches that result in compilation or runtime errors. For more information, see Conventions for Function Prototypes.

Examples

For an example, see Locking and Unlocking Byte Ranges in Files.

Requirements Requirement Value Minimum supported client Windows 11 24H2 [desktop apps | UWP apps] Minimum supported server Windows Server 2025 [desktop apps | UWP apps] Header fileapi.h (include Windows.h) Library Kernel32.lib DLL Kernel32.dll See also

CreateDirectory2

CreateFile3

RemoveDirectory2


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