VB6.0:Tutorial, WipeFile

[TcM]

Introduction:-
Welcome to another tutorial of VB, in this tutorial I will tell you on how to delete a program permanently! how? simple just first we open the file replace it with and letter, number or symbol we want then delete it! So even if the file is brought back after deletion with any special software it will still be not accessible!

Solution:-
Well I will show you just the basics, because in my original program I made more but here I will just place the basic for newbies to understand better!
Ok so first we have to include the component of the CommonDialog here is how:-


and Select:-


Then Add a Command button

Add This Code:-

Sub Wipe(FileName As String)
On Error GoTo err
  Dim Part1 As String
  Dim hFileHandle As Integer, i As Long
  Const SIZE = 1024
  Part1 = String(SIZE, "#")
  hFileHandle = FreeFile
    
    Open FileName For Binary As hFileHandle
    For i = 1 To hFileHandle
    Put hFileHandle, , Part1
    Next i
    Close hFileHandle
Exit Sub
err:
   Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub Command1_Click()
CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
Wipe CommonDialog1.FileName
Kill CommonDialog1.FileName
MsgBox "File Deleted Safely", vbInformation, "WipeFile"
End Sub

Explanation:-

Sub Wipe(FileName As String)

This is the sub we will call to delete the file when pressing the command button

On Error GoTo err

For a better explanation read this tutorial:-

• http://forum.codecall.net/tutorials-...-handling.html

  Dim Part1 As String
  Dim hFileHandle As Integer, i As Long
  Const SIZE = 1024
  Part1 = String(SIZE, "#")
  hFileHandle = FreeFile

Here we are declaring some variables etc.. and assigning some things
the important thing here is the line 'Part1 = String(SIZE, "#")' the symbol # means what you want to replace every bit with! you can change it to 0 or so! for example if you try this on an exe file and then open it with a HEX viewer all you see will be that symbol!
like this:-

    Open FileName For Binary As hFileHandle
    For i = 1 To hFileHandle
    Put hFileHandle, , Part1
    Next i
    Close hFileHandle

Here we are opening the file as binary then we loop to replace everything with a # when everything is replaced we close the file!

Private Sub Command1_Click()
CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
Wipe CommonDialog1.FileName
Kill CommonDialog1.FileName
MsgBox "File Deleted Safely", vbInformation, "WipeFile"
End Sub

When we press the command button the Open Dialog will be showed, then you choose a file to delete "WARNING FILE WILL BE PERMANENTLY DELETED!!" and after that we call the Sub Wipe to replace it with the symbol after we kill the file ( delete ) and then it shows a msgbox saying that the file was deleted!

NOTE:- To see that this really works delete the line that says 'Kill CommonDialog1.FileName' then go to that file, open it with a hex editor and you will see that this really works!! all you will see is that symbol you specify!!
As i already showed you here is what you will see:-


Conclusion:-
As Always Feedback is welcome and the full source is attached!! NOTE:- The source code is a little modified and contains more functions! If you don't have VB installed and can't run the code but you need the program, just request here and I will upload the EXE file for those without VB installed

[Cosmet]

Wow, nice tutorial! I was thinking about creating this myself the other day. This basically overwrites the file with bad data so if it is recovered, it means nothing! Cheers!

[TcM]

Yup thats the purpose! and it works!!

[Jordan]

Nice tutorial, rep left.

[TcM]

Originally Posted by Jordan

Nice tutorial, rep left.

Thanks for that

[hackimi]

thanks for view code

[K3Y]

great tut, thanks


easy to follow, and it will come into use into the program im writing =D

cheers dude

[TcM]

Welcome mate.

What program is that?

[Xav]

Um, a program deletion program?