Command: deltree

  FreeDOS DELTREE.COM is a freeware clone of Microsoft's DELTREE.EXE, a
  utility for quickly deleting files and directories with all included
  files and subdirectories.
  DELTREE doesn't care any file attributes, it does its job even files
  and directories have read-only, hidden or system-attributes!

Syntax:

  DELTREE [/?] [/Y] [/V] [/D] [/X] filespec [filespec...] [@filelist]

Options:

  /Y            Deletes specified items without prompting.
  /V            Report counts and totals when finished.
  /D            Displays the debug info.
  /X            For testing; don't actually delete anything.
   @            FLAG to indicate the specified file as a "DR-DOS-type"
                filelist.
  /?            Shows the help.

Comments:

  Options may be uppercase or lowercase, and may begin with a slash or
  a minus sign. There must be at least one filespec, and there may be
  more than one. Note that any options must be specified at the start
  of the command line, before any filespecs. This syntax is different
  from many DOS utilities, but compatible with Microsoft's DELTREE.EXE.
  Filespecs may name files, directories, or DR-DOS-type "filelists".
  You may use wildcards: all matching files and directories will be
  targeted. Files will be deleted regardless of their attributes.
  Directories will be deleted with all their contents.
  Switches:
  Unless "/Y" is not specified, DELTREE will prompt you before deleting
  each item specified on the command line. Press [Y] to delete the item
  indicated, [N] to let it live, or [Q] or [CTRL]+[C] or [CTRL]+[BREAK]
  to quit DELTREE immediately.
  If "/Y" is specified, DELTREE doesn't prompt anything! -- WARNING!
  USE THIS OPTION WITH CAUTION!
  If "/V" is specified, DELTREE will report the total number of files
  deleted and subdirectories removed when it finishes. If any files were
  deleted, the total of the files' sizes will also be reported in bytes
  and in kilobytes or megabytes. The fractional part of the kilobytes or
  megabytes may be off by plus-or-minus one in the least significant
  digit. The total size does not take cluster size into account; the
  amount of disk space freed may be greater than the size reported.
  If "/D" is specified, DELTREE will display additional (debug)
  information. It's the DEBUG-mode of DELTREE.
  If "/X" is specified, DELTREE will display all files and directories
  which could be deleted. But DELTREE doesn't delete anything! It's the
  TEST-mode of DELTREE.
  If "/?" is specified, the syntax-help will be displayed.
  DELTREE.COM:
  [DEFAULT-BUILD] of DELTREE: Includes the "ROOT-SAFETY-CHECK". If you
  call DELTREE with "/Y"-switch in the root-directory of a non-removal
  drive, for each delete action a warning-message is displayed and you
  always have to prompt it.
  DELTREE2.COM:
  [DEFANGED-BUILD]: The "/Y"-switch will be ignored, you will always
  asked before deleting anything. So it's the safest build of DELTREE.
  DELTREE!.COM:
  [DANGER-BUILD]: Without the "ROOT-SAFETY-CHECK"! So it's like the
  Microsoft-DELTREE.
  WARNING!!!
  It's the most dangerous version of DELTREE!!!
  NO WARRANTY! USE IT ON YOUR OWN RISK!
  DON'T BLAME ME FOR ANY DATALOSS AND DAMAGES!!!
  IF YOU AREN'T SURE WHAT YOU DO, DON'T USE IT!!!
  DR-DOS-type "filelist"
  A "filelist" is a text file containing filespecs, one per line. If
  you have a list of items to be deleted in a file FILELIST.TXT, type:
    DELTREE @FILELIST.TXT
  (Note that the "@"-sign is not part of the filename, just a flag to
  indicate a file list.) Examples of a "filelist":
  Example 1:
    123.txt
    abc.doc
    NOP.PNG
  Example 2:
    123.txt abc.doc NOP.PNG
  If you want to comment your filelists, comments have to start with
  a ";"-sign:
  Example 3:
  ;This is a filelist example
    123.txt ;Example file
  If you want to delete a file or directory beginning with an "@"-sign,
  enclose the name in quotes:
    DELTREE "@FILELIST.TXT"

  DELTREE has the following ERRORLEVEL / EXITCODES:
  00  Success. All is well.
  01  Something could not be deleted or a filelist could not be opened.
  03  User abort ([Q] or [CONTROL]+[C] or [CONTROL]+[BREAK] was pressed)
  16  General syntax error, or buffer overflow
  17  Not enough memory
  18  DOS 3.0 or better required.
  19  Problem with filelist
  20  Internal buffer overflow
  21  Error resolving directory name (dots_fix)

Examples:

  deltree /y c:\oldtree  (does not ask for deleting)
  deltree c:\test2\      Asks for each subdirectory of \test2 if you
                         really want to delete it
  deltree c:\test2       Deletes all subdirectories of \test2

See also:

  del/erase
  errorlevel/exitcode
  md/mkdir
  move
  rd/rmdir
  ren/rename
  tree/pdtree
  undelete

  Copyright © 1998 Jim Hall, updated 2007 and 2022
  by W. Spiegl.

  This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
  See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.