Delete files with a specific string
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    Ahmed Abdulla
 on 17 Jan 2022
  
    
    
    
    
    Commented: Ahmed Abdulla
 on 17 Jan 2022
            In my directory I have 1000's of files, however some files are not needed and they all have the string "Yes_" in their file names, is there an easy way to delete all files that contain this phrase in their name?
2 Comments
  Stephen23
      
      
 on 17 Jan 2022
				"is there an easy way to delete all files that contain this phrase in their name?"
delete *Yes_*.*
Accepted Answer
  Image Analyst
      
      
 on 17 Jan 2022
        Try this:
% Specify the folder where the files live.
myFolder = pwd; % or wherever . . . 'C:\Users\yourUserName\Documents\My Pictures';
% Check to make sure that folder actually exists.  Warn user if it doesn't.
if ~isfolder(myFolder)
    errorMessage = sprintf('Error: The following folder does not exist:\n%s\nPlease specify a new folder.', myFolder);
    uiwait(warndlg(errorMessage));
    myFolder = uigetdir(); % Ask for a new one.
    if myFolder == 0
        % User clicked Cancel
        return;
    end
end
% Get a list of all files in the folder with the desired file name pattern.
filePattern = fullfile(myFolder, '*.*'); % Change to whatever pattern you need.
theFiles = dir(filePattern);
for k = 1 : length(theFiles)
    baseFileName = theFiles(k).name;
    fullFileName = fullfile(theFiles(k).folder, baseFileName);
    fprintf(1, 'Now checking %s\n', fullFileName);
    % Now do whatever you want with this file name,
    % such as deleting it.
    if contains(baseFileName, 'Yes_', 'IgnoreCase', true)
        fprintf(1, '    Now deleting %s\n', fullFileName);
        recycle on % Go to recycle bin
        delete(fullFileName);
    end
end
Adapted from the FAQ:
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