########################################################################
##
## Copyright (C) 2012-2026 The Octave Project Developers
##
## See the file COPYRIGHT.md in the top-level directory of this
## distribution or <https://octave.org/copyright/>.
##
## This file is part of Octave.
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## Octave is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
## under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
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########################################################################

## -*- texinfo -*-
## @deftypefn  {} {@var{val} =} recycle ()
## @deftypefnx {} {@var{old_val} =} recycle (@var{new_val})
## Query or set the preference for recycling deleted files.
##
## When recycling is enabled, commands which would permanently erase files
## instead move them to a temporary location (such as the directory labeled
## Trash).
##
## Programming Note: This function is provided for @sc{matlab} compatibility,
## but recycling is not implemented in Octave.  To help avoid accidental data
## loss an error will be raised if an attempt is made to enable file recycling.
## @seealso{delete, rmdir}
## @end deftypefn

function val = recycle (new_val)

  persistent current_state = "off";

  if (nargin == 0 || nargout > 0)
    val = current_state;
  endif

  if (nargin == 1)
    if (! ischar (new_val))
      error ("recycle: NEW_VAL must be a character string");
    endif

    if (strcmpi (new_val, "on"))
      error ("recycle: recycling files is not implemented");
    elseif (strcmpi (new_val, "off"))
      current_state = "off";
    else
      error ("recycle: invalid value '%s'", new_val);
    endif
  endif

endfunction


%!test
%! recycle ("off");
%! assert (recycle ("off"), "off");

%!error recycle ("on", "and I mean it")
%!error <NEW_VAL must be a character string> recycle (1)
%!error <recycling files is not implemented> recycle ("on")
%!error <invalid value 'foobar'> recycle ("foobar")
