Send a File to the Recycle Bin

There is built-in library for this .

First add reference Microsoft.VisualBasic Then add this code :

FileSystem.DeleteFile(path_of_the_file,
                        Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.UIOption.AllDialogs,
                        Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.RecycleOption.SendToRecycleBin,
                        Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.UICancelOption.ThrowException);

I have found this here .

I use this extension method, then I can just use a DirectoryInfo or FileInfo and delete that.

public static class NativeMethods
{
    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        struct SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    {
        public IntPtr hwnd;
        [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U4)]
        public int wFunc;
        public string pFrom;
        public string pTo;
        public short fFlags;
        [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
        public bool fAnyOperationsAborted;
        public IntPtr hNameMappings;
        public string lpszProgressTitle;
    }
    private const int FO_DELETE = 0x0003;
    private const int FOF_ALLOWUNDO = 0x0040;           // Preserve undo information, if possible. 
    private const int FOF_NOCONFIRMATION = 0x0010;      // Show no confirmation dialog box to the user      


    [DllImport("shell32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    static extern int SHFileOperation(ref SHFILEOPSTRUCT FileOp);

    static bool DeleteFileOrFolder(string path)
    {


        SHFILEOPSTRUCT fileop = new SHFILEOPSTRUCT();
        fileop.wFunc = FO_DELETE;
        fileop.pFrom = path + '\0' + '\0';            
        fileop.fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO | FOF_NOCONFIRMATION;


        var rc= SHFileOperation(ref fileop);
        return rc==0;
    }

    public static bool ToRecycleBin(this DirectoryInfo dir)
    {
        dir?.Refresh();
        if(dir is null || !dir.Exists)
        {
            return false;
        }
        else
            return DeleteFileOrFolder(dir.FullName);
    }
    public static bool ToRecycleBin(this FileInfo file)
    {
        file?.Refresh();

        if(file is null ||!file.Exists)
        {
            return false;
        }
        return DeleteFileOrFolder(file.FullName);
    }
}

a sample how to call it could be this:

private void BtnDelete_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if(MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you would like to delete this directory?", "Delete & Close", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question) == DialogResult.No)
        return;

    var dir= new DirectoryInfo(directoryName);
    dir.ToRecycleBin();

}