35.4.2 Specifying which files to delete from the project directory

To specify which files Mif2Go should delete from the project directory before conversion:

[Automation]

WrapAndShip=Yes

; EmptyOutputFiles = list of files to delete, separated by spaces,

; wildcards allowed but not paths, no spaces within an item

EmptyOutputFiles = *.htm *.ref *.grx

If you do not include a setting for EmptyOutputFiles, depending on the value of EmptyOutputDir (see §35.4.1 Specifying when to delete old files from the project directory), by default Mif2Go deletes the following old files from the project directory before conversion: 

Output type	Default files deleted before conversion
HTML (all), XHTML	*.htm *.html *.ref *.grx
XML	*.xml *.ref *.grx
DITA	*.dita *.ditamap *.bookmap .ref .grx
RTF	*.rtf *.grx

Note:  If you list either *.dcl or *.dcb for EmptyOutputFiles, Mif2Go ignores EmptyOutputDir and logs a warning. To delete .dcl and .dcb files, see §5.1.4 Reusing or discarding ASCII DCL files.

Use wildcards; do not use paths

The file specifications you assign to EmptyOutputFiles must be separated by spaces, and no spaces are allowed within a file specification. You can use wildcards in file specifications, but you cannot include paths.

Warning: Do not specify *.* or *.ini, or you will lose your configuration file(s); and for Help systems, you might lose a great deal more.

Depending on the value of EmptyOutputDir (see §35.4.1 Specifying when to delete old files from the project directory), Mif2Go deletes the specified files before conversion begins, immediately after executing any system commands listed in your configuration file for SystemStartCommand, in section [Automation]; see §34.4 Executing operating-system commands. 

Files get deleted on compiling and indexing, also

Note:  EmptyOutputFiles takes effect not only when WrapAndShip=Yes, but also when one of the following is true for the output type specified:

HTML Help: [Automation]CompileHelp=Yes

WinHelp: [Automation]CompileHelp=Yes

JavaHelp: [JavaHelpOptions]FTSCommand=path/to/indexer

Oracle Help: [OracleHelpOptions]FTSCommand=path/to/indexer

See §35.10 Gathering and processing Help-system files.

See also:

§5.1.4 Reusing or discarding ASCII DCL files

§35.4.1 Specifying when to delete old files from the project directory

§35.4.3 Understanding when not to delete .ref and .htm files

§35.4.4 Deleting MIF files from the project directory

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> 35 Producing deliverable results > 35.4 Clearing out old files before converting > 35.4.2 Specifying which files to delete from the project directory