A Windows PowerShell script for removing empty folders.

Remove-EmptyFoldersLite.ps1

<#
Remove-EmptyFoldersLite.ps1
#>

# $path = "."
$path = "C:\Temp"
$filename = "deleted_folders.txt"
$txt_file = "$env:temp\$filename"
$separator = "---------------------"
$empty_line = ""
$empty_folders = @()
$deleted_folders = @()

    # Test if the path exists
    If ((Test-Path $path) -eq $false) {

        $invalid_path_was_found = $true

        # Display an error message in console
        $empty_line | Out-String
        Write-Warning "'$path' doesn't seem to be a valid path name."
        $empty_line | Out-String
        Write-Verbose "Please consider checking that the starting point location '$path' was typed correctly and that it is a valid file system path, which points to a directory." -verbose
        $empty_line | Out-String
        $skip_text = "Couldn't open '$path'..."
        Write-Output $skip_text
        $empty_line | Out-String
        Exit

    } Else {

        # Resolve path (if the path is specified as relative)
        $real_path = Resolve-Path -Path $path

    } # else (if)


# Search recursively for the empty folders at $real_path (i.e. $path)
# Note: For best results against nested empty folders, please run the script iteratively until no empty folders are found.
# Credit: Mekac: "Get folder where Access is denied" https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/4d78bba6-084a-4a41-8d54-6dde2408535f/get-folder-where-access-is-denied?forum=winserverpowershell

$available_folders = Get-ChildItem $real_path -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.PSIsContainer -eq $true } | Select-Object FullName, @{ Label="AclDenied"; Expression={ (Get-Acl $_.FullName).AreAccessRulesProtected }} | Where-Object { $_.AclDenied -eq $false } | Select-Object FullName | Sort FullName

$unavailable_folders = Get-ChildItem $real_path -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.PSIsContainer -eq $true } | Select-Object FullName, @{ Label="AclDenied"; Expression={ (Get-Acl $_.FullName).AreAccessRulesProtected }} | Where-Object { $_.AclDenied -eq $null } | Select-Object FullName | Sort FullName

ForEach ($folder in ($available_folders)) {

        $the_query_of_empty_folders = Get-ItemProperty $folder.FullName | Where-Object { ($_.GetFiles().Count -eq 0) -and ($_.GetDirectories().Count -eq 0) } | Select-Object FullName

                If ($the_query_of_empty_folders -ne $null) {

                        $empty_folders += New-Object -TypeName PSCustomObject -Property @{
                                'FullName'         = $folder.FullName
                        } # New-Object

                } Else {
                        $continue = $true
                } # Else (If $the_query_of_empty_folders)

} # ForEach $folder


        If ($empty_folders.Count -eq 0) {

                $empty_line | Out-String
                "Didn't find any empty folders at $real_path." | Out-String
                $empty_line | Out-String
                Exit

        } Else {

                        # Create a list of the empty folders and delete the empty folders
                        ForEach ($directory in $empty_folders) {

                                $deleted_folders += New-Object -TypeName PSCustomObject -Property @{
                                        'Deleted Empty Folders'         = $directory.FullName
                                } # New-Object

                                Remove-Item $directory.FullName -Force

                        } # ForEach

                # Write the deleted directory paths in console
                $empty_line | Out-String
                $deleted_folders.PSObject.TypeNames.Insert(0,"Deleted Empty Folders")
                Write-Output $deleted_folders
                $empty_line | Out-String

                # Write the deleted directory paths to a TXT-file (located at the current temp-folder)

                        If ((Test-Path $txt_file) -eq $false) {
                                $deleted_folders | Out-File "$txt_file" -Encoding UTF8 -Force
                                Add-Content -Path "$txt_file" -Value "Date: $(Get-Date -Format g)"
                        } Else {
                                $pre_existing_content = Get-Content $txt_file
                                ($pre_existing_content + $empty_line + $separator + $empty_line + ($deleted_folders | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'Deleted Empty Folders') + $empty_line) | Out-File "$txt_file" -Encoding UTF8 -Force
                                Add-Content -Path "$txt_file" -Value "Date: $(Get-Date -Format g)"
                        } # Else (If Test-Path)

        } # Else (If $empty_folders.Count)

# Source: https://gist.github.com/nedarb/840f9f0c9a2e6014d38f
# Source: https://gist.github.com/Appius/d863ada643c2ee615db9
# Source: http://www.brangle.com/wordpress/2009/08/append-text-to-a-file-using-add-content-in-powershell/
# Credit: Mekac: "Get folder where Access is denied" https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/4d78bba6-084a-4a41-8d54-6dde2408535f/get-folder-where-access-is-denied?forum=winserverpowershell

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