# \[how can i delete a file system..please help\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [June 9, 2006, 11:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912 "2006-06-09T11:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 11:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/1 "2006-06-09T11:52:55Z")
Hi, I’m trying to delete a file system (\) File.delete(“xml\_26548975.xml”) But I get this error: “Permission denied - ./script/…/config/…/uploads/xml\_26548975.xml”. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/2 "2006-06-09T17:12:53Z")
What OS are you using for your server? ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/3 "2006-06-09T16:12:13Z")
well, from the error message, it looks like you are not allowed to delete the file due to permissions. i would start there. ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/4 "2006-06-09T17:45:37Z")
I’m just uploading a file - copying the content to another file, which afterwards I want to delete it/unlink it/get lost. uploaded\_file = RAILS\_ROOT + “/uploads/xml\_” + generate\_code + “.xml” File.open(uploaded\_file, “wb”) do |f| f.write(@file.read) after some time…File.delete("…"). I’m using XP and WEBrick( I think he’s to blame). Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/5 "2006-06-09T21:24:02Z")
Ioana K. wrote: > uploaded\_file = RAILS\_ROOT + “/uploads/xml\_” + generate\_code + “.xml” > > ``` > File.open(uploaded_file, "wb") do |f| > f.write(@file.read) > > ``` > > after some time…File.delete("…"). FileUtils.rm “#{uploaded\_file}” should do what you’re looking for, although you may need to either stip off RAIL\_ROOT or save the path without RAILS\_ROOT prior to the File.open. That is, I think FileUtils assumes it’s working from RAILS\_ROOT whereas File does not. hth, Bill ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/6 "2006-06-09T19:10:53Z")
On 6/9/06, Ioana K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hi, > I’m trying to delete a file system (\) A “file system”? xml\_26548975.xml is a regular file, right? Since if it’s a directory tree or something, you’re not using the correct method (should look at Dir.delete instead). If it is a file, the first thing I would check is if you’re trying to File.delete it while it’s still open. The code below shows you’re using a block scope for the output file, which is good since it takes care of closing the file for you. However, looks like you’re not using the same good pattern for the input file (@file). You can, and should consider it, to avoid bugs like the one that might be haunting you right now (there’s no problem nesting File.open blocks if that’s what hindered you). ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/7 "2006-06-09T21:30:31Z")
On 6/9/06, Bill W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > [http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails](http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails) Why would FileUtils assume its working from RAILS\_ROOT? It’s a Ruby library, not a Rails’ one. Does Ruby modify it in some way? (sounds a bit unlikely…) ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/8 "2006-06-09T22:28:26Z")
On 6/9/06, Bill W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > working from RAILS\_ROOT whereas File does not. > > [http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails](http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails) Check what’s the CWD (with Dir.pwd) in each phase. My guess is they would be different - RAILS\_ROOT for the #rm call, somehing else for the #copy. The CWD is dependent upon your stack setup. For example, with WEBrick it’s often RAILS\_DIR throughout the app, while with FastCGI and Lighttpd it’s /public. What’s your setup? ---
**Author:** ![Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Ioana\_K](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ioana_K)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-can-i-delete-a-file-system-please-help/62912/9 "2006-06-09T21:59:12Z")
Hi Alder, Alder G. wrote: > Why would FileUtils assume its working from RAILS\_ROOT? It’s a Ruby > library, not a Rails’ one. Does Ruby modify it in some way? (sounds a > bit unlikely…) I don’t know. I’m just going on my recent experience. I’m doing a little app that includes a file upload. After looking back at that code more closely, I’m just more confused. FileUtils.copy seems to need RAILS\_ROOT but FileUtils.rm does not. Here’s the file upload code I’m using. @filenametouse = “temp-readin” + nextfile.id.to\_s + “.xml” if params[:file\_to\_upload].instance\_of?(Tempfile) FileUtils.copy(params[:file\_to\_upload].local\_path, “#{RAILS\_ROOT}/public/#{@filenametouse}”) else File.open("#{RAILS\_ROOT}/public/#{@filenametouse}",“w”){|f| f.write(params[:file\_to\_upload].read) f.close} end I store the value of @filenametouse in a db record and later retrieve it to delete the file which I do with this code. (emrec.id just identifies the group of files I created in a session) files = Tempfilerec.find(:all, :conditions =\> [“emrec\_id = ?”, emrec.id]) files.each {|file| FileUtils.rm “public/#{file.filename}” } I remember being confused when I got the code working but, under deadline pressure, just moved on with a note-to-self to come back later and figure out “why the difference?” Any ideas? Best regards, Bill