Thread Subject: unable to delete a file

I have a code that looks as follows:

---------------mytest.m--------------
clear all;

delete report.txt

fid = fopen('report.txt','a');
fprintf(fid, '\n %7d',refBus);
fclose(fid);
----------------------------------------

In the above code deletion of report.txt is not carried out. I get the
warning below.

Warning: File not found or permission denied

Even manually I cannot delete this file unless I close Matlab. What
can I do to delete this file without closing Matlab?

NSP

n o s p a m p l e a s e <nospam.please@alum.com> wrote in
message <77024167-c932-4c22-8180-
4335c6a1ecf1@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>...
> I have a code that looks as follows:
>
> ---------------mytest.m--------------
> clear all;
>
> delete report.txt
>
> fid = fopen('report.txt','a');
> fprintf(fid, '\n %7d',refBus);
> fclose(fid);
> ----------------------------------------
>
> In the above code deletion of report.txt is not carried
out. I get the
> warning below.
>
> Warning: File not found or permission denied
>
> Even manually I cannot delete this file unless I close
Matlab. What
> can I do to delete this file without closing Matlab?
>
> NSP

% The delete command works for me

% Why not just use the w option instead?

---------------mytest.m--------------
clear all;
 

fid = fopen('report.txt','w');
fprintf(fid, '\n %7d',refBus);
fclose(fid);
----------------------------------------

In article <77024167-c932-4c22-8180-4335c6a1ecf1@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>,
n o s p a m p l e a s e <nospam.please@alum.com> wrote:
>I have a code that looks as follows:

>---------------mytest.m--------------
>clear all;
>
>delete report.txt
>
>fid = fopen('report.txt','a');
>fprintf(fid, '\n %7d',refBus);
>fclose(fid);
>----------------------------------------

>In the above code deletion of report.txt is not carried out. I get the
>warning below.

>Warning: File not found or permission denied

You would get that if the file is already open within Matlab (or
within any other program.) Windows does not allow files to be deleted
if a process has them open.
--
  "The study of error is not only in the highest degree
  prophylatic, but it serves as a stimulating introduction to the
  study of truth." -- Walter Lipmann

"Walter Roberson" <roberson@ibd.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca> wrote in message
news:g1ml7u$h5g$1@canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca...
> In article
> <77024167-c932-4c22-8180-4335c6a1ecf1@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>,
> n o s p a m p l e a s e <nospam.please@alum.com> wrote:
>>I have a code that looks as follows:
>
>>---------------mytest.m--------------
>>clear all;
>>
>>delete report.txt
>>
>>fid = fopen('report.txt','a');
>>fprintf(fid, '\n %7d',refBus);
>>fclose(fid);
>>----------------------------------------
>
>>In the above code deletion of report.txt is not carried out. I get the
>>warning below.
>
>>Warning: File not found or permission denied
>
> You would get that if the file is already open within Matlab (or
> within any other program.) Windows does not allow files to be deleted
> if a process has them open.

To expand on Walter's diagnosis, if your code errored at some point after
you FOPENed the file but before you FCLOSEd it (say as you were working on
creating your code), it would still be open. Use FOPEN with the 'all' flag
to determine if this is the case and use FCLOSE on the obtained fids if it
is.

--
Steve Lord
slord@mathworks.com