delete subfolder with specific name*

I have 1 <main folder> with many subfolder like:

<output_figure_file_1>

<output_figure_file_2>

<output_figure_file_3>

<output_data_file_1>

<output_data_file_2>

<output_data_file_3>

<file_1>

<file_2>

<file_3>

With some file inside subfolder. Now I need to delete all sub-folder named <output_figure_file_*>

with using this code:

close all; clear all; clc;
% remove sub folder on input
d=dir('output_figure_*')
dirlist=d([d.isdir])
dirlist=dirlist(~ismember({dirlist.name},{'.','..'}));
for idir=1:numel(dirlist)
    %dird=fullfile(pwd,(dirlist(idir).name))
    rmdir((dirlist(idir).name),'s')
end

It caused eror said:

??? Error using ==> rmdir
No directories were removed.

Error in ==> Untitled at 8
    rmdir((dirlist(idir).name),'s')

Any one pls help me to fix this eror.

My version is R2008a

[Guillaume]

Change the call to rmdir to:

[status, message] = rmdir(dirlist(idir).name, 's');
if ~status
    error('Fed to remove %s, because %s', dirlist(idir).name, message);
end

and tell us what the new error message is.

[Long Hà Vinh]

I keep 1 file on opened. So It can not delete the 1st folder. I am so woolgathering. Sorry!

Answer 1

[Jan]

Add some error messages:

base    = cd;
d       = dir(fullfile(base, 'output_figure_*'));
dirlist = d([d.isdir]);
dirlist = dirlist(~ismember({dirlist.name}, {'.','..'}));
for idir = 1:numel(dirlist)
   folder = fullfile(base, dirlist(idir).name);
   [status, msg] = rmdir(folder, , 's');
   if status ~= 1
       error('rmdir:failed:now', 'Folder: %s, Message: %s', folder, msg);
   end
end

What do you get as message?

Is one of the files opened anywhere?

[Long Hà Vinh]

Dear Jan

You right, I keep 1 file in folder <output_figure_file_1> opened so I can not pass the loop 1. Now I turn it off and it run. Thanks!

[Stephen23]

An alternative to if and error is to use assert:

assert(status==1,'rmdir:failed:now', 'Folder: %s, Message: %s', folder, msg)