Delete elements 

When you delete a Rational ClearCase element in the Rational Developer product, ClearCase checks out the parent directory, performs a cleartool rmname operation in the VOB, and checks in the parent directory if the Window > Preferences > Team > Rational ClearCase > When parent directory is automatically checked out to move, rename, or delete an element preference is set to Automatically check in parent directory. If the parent directory is checked out when you delete files or folders, ClearCase does not check it in.  

If you want to delete multiple Rational Developer files or folders in the same directory as a single change to the directory, check out the directory, delete the files or folders in the Rational Developer product, then check in the directory.

If you are using ClearCase UCM, a delete operation always uses the current activity.

Conflicts can arise if a developer working on a shared branch of ClearCase checks in the parent directory but not the corresponding changes. To avoid problems, set the Window > Preferences > Team > Rational ClearCase > When parent directory is automatically checked out to move, rename, or delete an element preference to Do nothing and check in all files or folders that contain code changes related to the deleted files or folders, along with the source and destination directories. 

If you cancel the checkout (Undo Check Out) of a directory before checking it in, the deletion process is cancelled also and deleted files and folders reappear. ClearCase does not cancel the checkouts of files or folders in the directory that you are deleting. To avoid problems, resolve any checkouts in that directory or any subdirectories before you delete.

Related tasks
When parent directory is automatically checked out to move, rename, or delete an element