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[nymaestro]

MC11 politely asks me if I want to remove empty directories after a rename operation.  I always answer "yes", but MC never actually removes them.

Is this a bug??

[Alex B]

It works for me.

Perhaps the folders are not completely empty. Have you used Windows Media Player? It makes a bunch of hidden image files into the folders. Set the options in Windows Explorer to show the hidden files too and check the folders.

Limited user rights or some other application locking the folders are some other possibilities.

[Bill Kearney]

It makes a bunch of hidden image files into the folders. Set the options in Windows Explorer to show the hidden files too and check the folders.

Then shouldn't MC not ask about deleting the folder?  If the folder's not truly 'empty' then it shouldn't be asking about deleting it.  And I'm sure plenty of folks would consider there being hidden files as NOT empty.  Perhaps MC should have some sort of option for handling folders with nothing but hidden files? 

[KingSparta]

yes this is a bug

I have a program on my web site you can use under the button "Programs I Have Created"

it will scan the drive and then show you the folders it found are empty and then click on the checkbox list the ones you wish to delete and press delete.

if you use it let me know if it installs correctly. it is a visual basic install in a zip file, so it should work.

[Alex B]

I guess MC cannot see the hidden files because it uses the OS commands and Explorer for file handling.

The thing is that the hidden files should not be there in the first place. I would consider it as an MS bug. It is stupid to make hidden files into the user folders. Also Windows Explorer leaves the WMP made hidden files behind when the other files are moved.

MS tries to make things easier by doing tricks under the hood, but in this way the users will become more and more ignorant about how the system really works.

[Alex B]

Sorry Alex, but in many instances there are no hidden files involved, I have checked this as I have often encountered this problem (and NEVER used WMP). It is a long-standing MC 'bug'.

Well, that was an answer to Bill's and King's comments.

The other options I mentioned in my first post are likely reasons in case the folders are empty.

As I said, it works for me. Just yesterday evening I ripped about ten CDs into artist\album subfolders in my rip folder. I tagged the music files and the separately scanned album images. After that I used the Rename Files From Properties tool for moving the files to the final location. MC removed correctly the empty artist\album subfolders. I have some other stuff in the rip folder so MC didn't delete the base folder.

[GHammer]

I guess MC cannot see the hidden files because it uses the OS commands and Explorer for file handling.

The thing is that the hidden files should not be there in the first place. I would consider it as an MS bug. It is stupid to make hidden files into the user folders. Also Windows Explorer leaves the WMP made hidden files behind when the other files are moved.

MS tries to make things easier by doing tricks under the hood, but in this way the users will become more and more ignorant about how the system really works.

But, I like having different folders for different types of files. And, having the cover art there but hidden (because I'm looking for music) is a good thing.

As for what has a bug and what is working properly, I'd guess that the music folders work as intended. I have other tools that are 'aware' of hidden files/folders and offer to take care of them for you if you are performing file ops. If MC is going to do things for you, then it should.

[KingSparta]

The folders i refer to have no hidden files, art, they are just plan empty.

I sat there all day once trying to figure out why this happens.

I don't have an answer, but it does happen.

[Alex B]

I should have tested the behavior first. I tested it now and it seems that MC behaves corretly when the folders contain hidden files. It does not offer to delete apparently empty folders if there are hidden files.

MC offers to delete the empty folders if there are no hidden files and deletes the folders correctly on my PC.

[Alex B]

The folders i refer to have no hidden files, art, they are just plan empty.

I sat there all day once trying to figure out why this happens.

I don't have an answer, but it does happen.

Could it be the Windows Indexing Service? I always disable it, but it is on by default on XP. Perhaps the hidden Indexing Service process is still working on the changes when MC tries to delete the folders. Though, adding delay or a second check would not be good performance-wise.

Some other possibilities are virus scanners and/or tooltip info tools with shell extensions that monitor folders and files. It is possible that other applications are checking the folders at the instant when MC tries to delete the folders.

[nymaestro]

No hidden files
No indexing
No WMP

It is a bug.

J River, any word on when it will be fixed?