I had thought roboticus was probably right about requiring cmd /c. So I thought salva's answer wasn't enough; but it turns out to be right (sorry for doubting you, ++salva): you don't need the cmd /c, and all you need is to provide the proper switches to rmdir:

C:\Temp>mkdir delme.dir\subdir

C:\Temp>dir /S delme.dir
 Volume in drive C is System
 Volume Serial Number is ...

 Directory of C:\Temp\delme.dir

11/07/2017  06:44 AM    <DIR>          .
11/07/2017  06:44 AM    <DIR>          ..
11/07/2017  06:44 AM    <DIR>          subdir
               0 File(s)              0 bytes

 Directory of C:\Temp\delme.dir\subdir

11/07/2017  06:44 AM    <DIR>          .
11/07/2017  06:44 AM    <DIR>          ..
               0 File(s)              0 bytes

     Total Files Listed:
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
               5 Dir(s)  45,598,023,680 bytes free

C:\Temp>perl -le "print system(qq(rmdir delme.dir)) && $! || 'deleted'
+"
The directory is not empty.
No such file or directory

C:\Temp>perl -le "print system(qq(rmdir /S delme.dir)) && $! || 'delet
+ed'"
delme.dir, Are you sure (Y/N)? n
No such file or directory

C:\Temp>perl -le "print system(qq(rmdir /S /Q delme.dir)) && $! || 'de
+leted'"
deleted

C:\Temp>dir /S delme.dir
 Volume in drive C is System
 Volume Serial Number is ...
File Not Found

[download]

But ytjPerl should also study/learn from the other responses, because TIMTOWTDI. And if you are sticking with system, use the multi-argument version that roboticus showed, and beware of quoting and backslashes. My oneliners above were for ease of typing, and to prove salva's point, not for robust and good coding style.

In reply to Re^2: delete folder and its content with plain perl by pryrt
in thread delete folder and its content with plain perl by ytjPerl

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