ek9_safe_delete

Deletes a top-level construct or a class/record/component member - or several as one change - after a workspace-wide reference check; answers status and edits[] (one DELETE per line), or conflicts[] with one 'construct-still-referenced' entry per citing site.

Category: Editor · Compare: Refactor → Safe Delete (IntelliJ)

When to use it

'Delete OrderProcessor if nothing uses it' is one call with symbol:'OrderProcessor' - no file or line needed (a member is 'Type.member'). Use it to DELETE a top-level construct or a class/record/component member with a workspace-wide reference check blocking it while anything still uses the target.

When not to use it

You only want to KNOW the reference count, not delete - use ek9_query_references.
You want to DISCOVER deletion candidates across the workspace — use ek9_find_unused_code.
The construct should be RENAMED, not deleted — use ek9_rename_symbol.
A method should keep existing but shed parameters — use ek9_change_signature.

Details

Live references yield status:'conflicts', NOT an error — one conflicts[] entry per citing site (kind 'construct-still-referenced'; only the declaration site is excluded from the count); references are intentional, so surface them rather than silently retrying. Single-file V1: anchoring on a usage of a symbol declared elsewhere (or an external/built-in symbol) errors and names the declaring file; non-deletable kinds (enum values, individual references-block entries, statements) also error. A top-level deletion that empties its file attaches a 'file-emptied' advisory pointing at ek9_delete_file; override/sealed coupling is not pre-checked in V1 and surfaces as a post-apply compile failure.

Arguments

Argument	Type	What it is
`column`	integer	0-based char offset of the target identifier on 'line' (an IDE cursor). OMIT it and pass symbol:'<name>' instead, or omit both and the first identifier on the line is taken (right for a declaration line). Reuse a column from `ek9_inspect_symbol_at_cursor` verbatim.
`file`	string	The EK9 source file - OPTIONAL when symbol is a construct name; required to anchor on a member or a use site.
`line`	integer	1-based line of the declaration or a reference - OMIT it and pass symbol:'<name>' to let the tool find the line (a model counting lines in a file miscounts); if you do count, use `ek9_read_file`(lineNumbers:true).
`symbol`	string	A construct NAME alone ('Shape', 'sample.deps.core::Validator') - no file needed, the tool finds it workspace-wide; or, with file (+ line), the identifier you mean there.
`symbols`	array of string	Several to delete as ONE change - all or none (e.g. a dead method and its dead callers: ['reportTitles','Product.getTitle'], in any order). Instead of symbol.

It also takes the arguments every tool takes.

Recorded calls

Real calls, recorded against small projects and checked on every build - a changed answer fails it. 3 of the 16 recorded are shown.

Safe delete same basename other directory

Request

{
  "file" : "app/rates.ek9",
  "line" : 5,
  "symbol" : "discount"
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ ],
  "edits" : [ ],
  "error" : {
    "message" : "Target 'discount' is declared in file://<workspace-root>/other/rates.ek9 — open that file and place the cursor on its declaration to delete it"
  },
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "status" : "error",
  "summary" : "Target 'discount' is declared in file://<workspace-root>/other/rates.ek9 — open that file and place the cursor on its declaration to delete it",
  "wouldBeDiagnostics" : [ ],
  "written" : false
}

Safe delete module constant apply

Request

{
  "file" : "Limits.ek9",
  "line" : 7,
  "symbol" : "OLD_LIMIT"
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ ],
  "edits" : [ {
    "before" : "    OLD_LIMIT <- 99",
    "endLine" : 7,
    "file" : "Limits.ek9",
    "startLine" : 7,
    "type" : "delete"
  } ],
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "resolvedPath" : "<workspace-root>/Limits.ek9",
  "risk" : {
    "crossesModuleBoundary" : false,
    "estimatedSeverity" : "high",
    "fileCount" : 1,
    "lineCount" : 1,
    "touchesPublicApi" : true,
    "touchesTests" : false
  },
  "status" : "applied",
  "summary" : "Deleted constant OLD_LIMIT",
  "workspaceHash" : "<workspace-hash>",
...

Cut short here: 3 more lines. The whole recorded call.

Safe delete module constant by bare name

Request

{
  "symbol" : "OLD_LIMIT"
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ ],
  "edits" : [ {
    "before" : "    OLD_LIMIT <- 99",
    "endLine" : 7,
    "file" : "Limits.ek9",
    "startLine" : 7,
    "type" : "delete"
  } ],
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "resolvedPath" : "<workspace-root>/Limits.ek9",
  "risk" : {
    "crossesModuleBoundary" : false,
    "estimatedSeverity" : "high",
    "fileCount" : 1,
    "lineCount" : 1,
    "touchesPublicApi" : true,
    "touchesTests" : false
  },
  "status" : "applied",
  "summary" : "Deleted constant OLD_LIMIT",
  "workspaceHash" : "<workspace-hash>",
...

Cut short here: 3 more lines. The whole recorded call.

When to use it

When not to use it

Details

Arguments

Recorded calls

Safe delete same basename other directory

Safe delete module constant apply

Safe delete module constant by bare name

See also