On Delete, Delete the Document File Too

[meffj00]

We are using the latest DNN Document module on our sites with DNN platform 9.2.2. installed.

A problem with that module is, when users delete the document entry in the module goes well, but the fysical document is not deleted.

My question is het possible to ask the user if he also want to delete the fysical document on the disk at the server?

[WillStrohl]

The reason this is not yet implemented as a feature is that it's not easy to be able to know if other people have also linked to the document you're deleting. If you don't have HTTP 404 errors properly trapped, it could result in an undesirable user experience for your end-users.

However, I can see this being a useful new feature. :)

Side Note: I was able to duplicate the current behavior on DNN Platform 09.10.02.

[MaiklT]

The real problem is that Google still finds the document when it is already in the search index, so someone who searches for something on Google can find an outdated or invalid document - which can be really annoying, esp. if you have some juridical or legal information in the document. Same thing happens when you change the document (upload a new version for example with a different file name) in an existing record.

The feature could be really useful, but I understand Will's objection.

A workaround for this was the old Digital Assets Manager to delete the old files as well - but this is to avoid because of Telerik dependencies. The new Resource Manager does not provide the needed functionality (see Resource Manager - "limit" access in the Community forums).

Could it be a solution to provide an alert saying "Shall the unlinked document be deleted as well?"?

[WillStrohl]

Honestly, I was just trying to help think this through. I think a useful update would be to allow the delete of the document record, but include a checkbox that says something like, "Permanently Delete the File Too?" which will delete the file, but only if checked.

[MaiklT]

Deleting is only one aspect. The other one is that someone uploads a new version of the document with a different file name. Also in this case there should be the possibility to delete the old version (by a checkbox, by a confirmation popup, whatever...).

[WillStrohl]

Interesting. This also sounds like a more advanced use case.

[meffj00]

I would like to respondent. The document to be deleted is on an our intranet and cannot yet be accessed by a search engine (Google, Bing, etc.). That is why I also advocate making this function adjustable. Users upload new versions of documents with a different name. The old documents remain on the server, which is very undesirable in the context of pollution. The internal search engine also finds the documents. In addition, I don't want/can't give users permissions in the file manager to delete documents. Doing nothing is the worst solution!