remove_empty_dirs

A lightweight Windows command-line utility written in C++17 to delete empty directories within a specified folder. Uses the C++ standard <filesystem> library for robust directory handling.

Features

• Validates the input path to ensure it exists and is a directory.
• Removes empty subdirectories within the specified folder.
• Provides clear error messages for invalid paths, permissions issues, or filesystem errors.

Requirements

• Windows operating system.
• MinGW-w64 with C++17 support (e.g., installed via scoop install mingw-winlibs-llvm-ucrt).
• CMake 3.30 or later.
• C++17-compatible compiler (e.g., GCC 14.2.0 or later).

Building

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/MrDwarf7/rm_stubs_cpp.git
   cd rm_stubs_cpp

2. Configure CMake:

   • Create and navigate to a build directory:

     mkdir build
     cd build
     cmake .. -G "MinGW Makefiles"
     make # debug 
     # or
     cmake .. -G "MinGW Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

   • This generates makefiles for MinGW.

3. Build the Project:

   • From the build directory:

     cmake --build . --config Release

   • The executable will be in build/rm_stubs.exe.

4. Clean Build Artifacts (Optional):

   rmdir /S /Q build

Usage

Run the program with a directory path to delete its empty subdirectories:

.\build\rm_stubs.exe "C:\path\to\folder"

• Example:

  mkdir "C:\Temp\test_dir"
  .\build\rm_stubs.exe "C:\Temp"

  Output (if test_dir is empty):

  Removed empty directory "C:\Temp\test_dir"
  

• Error Handling:

  • Invalid paths: "Error: path does not exist or is not a directory."
  • Non-empty directories: Skipped without deletion.
  • Usage error: Usage: rm_stubs.exe <folder_path> if no/invalid arguments.
  • Filesystem errors: Detailed error messages with system error codes.

Project Structure

• main.cpp: Core program logic using C++17 <filesystem>.
• CMakeLists.txt: CMake configuration for building the project.
• build/: Output directory containing rm_stubs.exe and build artifacts.

Notes

• Built with C++17 for <filesystem> support.
• Tested with MinGW-w64 (GCC 14.2.0) on Windows.
• CMake sets C++26 standard, but the code is C++17-compatible.
• Cross-platform compatible (Linux/macOS with minor adjustments, e.g., path separators).

Contributing

Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests on GitHub.

License

MIT License (see LICENSE file, if added).