Dialog Undelete File
The Undelete File dialog restores a DOS-style deleted file or directory by
prompting for the first character of its original name, which was overwritten
with 0xE5 during deletion.
- Context Menu: Undelete File (for deleted files)
- Context Menu: Undelete Directory (for deleted directories)
The context menu is opened on a deleted entry in the Directory and File Panel. The corresponding menu item is visible only for entries that are currently deleted, and is enabled only when the file or directory can be safely undeleted.
The dialog title changes to reflect the entry type:
- Undelete File
- Undelete Directory
When a file or directory is deleted using DOS-style deletion, the first
character of its name in the directory entry is replaced with 0xE5. The rest
of the name, extension, attributes, and cluster chain are preserved.
The Undelete dialog shows the remaining filename with a ? placeholder in the position of the missing first character, and prompts for that character so the entry can be restored.
The caller verifies in advance that undeletion is safe (for example, that the original cluster chain has not been reused by another file). If it is not, the menu item that opens this dialog is disabled.
The text box accepts a single character that will be used as the first character of the restored filename.
- Lowercase letters are automatically converted to uppercase.
- Whitespace, control characters, and characters that are invalid in FAT
filenames (for example,
<,>,:,",/,\,|,?,*) are rejected. - The backspace key is allowed for editing.
- Extended (high-bit) characters above the 8-bit range are rejected.
The filename portion of the dialog shows the remaining name with the first
character replaced by ?, giving a visual hint of what the restored filename
will look like.
Restores the entry using the entered first character and closes the dialog.
Closes the dialog without making any changes.
- Undelete operates on a single entry at a time and is not available for multi-file selections.
- Undelete is only available for entries whose original cluster chain has not been reused. If the chain has been reused, the context menu item is disabled.
- Undelete is a staged modification like any other edit and can be undone from the Edit menu or the modification stack.