Deleting files from a client machine

Question

Is there a way to delete files on a client computer after they've been uploaded to a server?

My web application allows users to upload files to a server and I'm trying to find a way to have the original files deleted from the computer on which they reside. Specifically, the web application provides the user with the ability to delete files; when the user deletes them from the web server, the local copies of the file should be deleted as well.

Would a signed Java Applet be the best solution? Any ideas / suggestions?

Answer 1

A signed Java Applet would probably be the best way to accomplish this if you absolutely, positively needed to do it. However, manipulating the client's filesystem is, in the words of Joel Spolsky, "unwebby". I would strongly reconsider this feature of your application.

Answer 2

Why not use AIR, by writing your application in Actionscript. http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/filesystem/File.html

Answer 3

It sounds like this will evolve into a file synchronization system, once you want to deal with all the combinations, and there will be cases in which users want merges rather than hard syncs with deletes.

If that is the case, a rich client widget may be the best tool using svn, webdav, or rsync libraries under the hood.