Delete Uploaded Files From Media Library

• tatimenabi

• October 16, 2021 at 4:58 pm

Hello!

I have a front-end form that allows my users to upload files, however, when the user deletes a file it remains in the media library. I want to make it so when a user decides to delete the file, to permanently remove it from the media library too.

Here is the code I tried but it doesn’t work:

function wpse_83587_delete_file( $value, $post_id, $field  ) {
    $old_value = get_field( $field['upload_my_file'], $post_id, false /* Don't format the value, we want the raw ID */ );

    if ( $old_value && ( int ) $old_value !== ( int ) $value )
        wp_delete_file( $old_value, true );

    return $value;
}

add_filter( 'acf/update_value/type=file', 'wpse_83587_delete_file', 10, 3 );

• jarvis

• October 20, 2021 at 7:54 am

Hi @tatimenabi

If $old_value returns a file URL, you could look to use attachment_url_to_postid()

Once you have the attachment ID, you can then use wp_delete_attachment()

Something like this:

<?php
function wpse_83587_delete_file( $value, $post_id, $field  ) {
    $old_value = get_field( $field['upload_my_file'], $post_id, false /* Don't format the value, we want the raw ID */ );

    if ( $old_value ){
		
		$attachment_id = attachment_url_to_postid( $old_value['url'] );
		wp_delete_attachment( $attachment_id, 'true' );
	}

 
}

add_filter( 'acf/update_value/type=file', 'wpse_83587_delete_file', 10, 3 );

Code untested but may help!