I have server.js where, when uploading an image, Sharp creates a thumbnail.

The main issue is that if later I want to delete the main image, it won't let me because something is using it.

File not accessible: C:\Users\...\uploads\Fan-Art\test-1738586514023.jpg Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, unlink 'C:\Users\...\furwork\uploads\Fan-Art\test-1738586514023.jpg'

Even if I try to delete the image manually, it tells me that something is using it and prevents to delete it. But if I stop the server.js I can delete it without any problem.

I tried not to create a thumbnail, and I could delete the image accordingly without any problem, deleting it from the website and manually.

This is my endpoint on the server.js

app.post('/upload-submission', upload.any(), async (req, res) => {
    const folderPath = req.body.folderPath;
    const targetDir = path.join(__dirname, folderPath);
    console.log('Resolved path:', targetDir);
    ...
        // Generate the thumbnail and ensure it finishes before proceeding
        const thumbnailName = `thumb-${path.basename(mainFile.path)}`;
        const thumbnailPath = path.join(targetDir, thumbnailName);

        try {
            // This ensures the Sharp process finishes before continuing
            await sharp(path.join(targetDir, path.basename(mainFile.path)))
                .resize(150, 150)
                .toFile(thumbnailPath);
            console.log("Thumbnail created successfully.");
        } catch (err) {
            console.error('Error creating thumbnail:', err);
            throw new Error('Error creating thumbnail');
        }
        ...
    } catch (err) {
        ...
    }
});

Versions using:

"express": "^4.21.1",
"axios": "^1.7.8",
"sharp": "^0.33.5",
"multer": "^1.4.5-lts.1",

I have server.js where, when uploading an image, Sharp creates a thumbnail.

The main issue is that if later I want to delete the main image, it won't let me because something is using it.

File not accessible: C:\Users\...\uploads\Fan-Art\test-1738586514023.jpg Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, unlink 'C:\Users\...\furwork\uploads\Fan-Art\test-1738586514023.jpg'

Even if I try to delete the image manually, it tells me that something is using it and prevents to delete it. But if I stop the server.js I can delete it without any problem.

I tried not to create a thumbnail, and I could delete the image accordingly without any problem, deleting it from the website and manually.

This is my endpoint on the server.js

app.post('/upload-submission', upload.any(), async (req, res) => {
    const folderPath = req.body.folderPath;
    const targetDir = path.join(__dirname, folderPath);
    console.log('Resolved path:', targetDir);
    ...
        // Generate the thumbnail and ensure it finishes before proceeding
        const thumbnailName = `thumb-${path.basename(mainFile.path)}`;
        const thumbnailPath = path.join(targetDir, thumbnailName);

        try {
            // This ensures the Sharp process finishes before continuing
            await sharp(path.join(targetDir, path.basename(mainFile.path)))
                .resize(150, 150)
                .toFile(thumbnailPath);
            console.log("Thumbnail created successfully.");
        } catch (err) {
            console.error('Error creating thumbnail:', err);
            throw new Error('Error creating thumbnail');
        }
        ...
    } catch (err) {
        ...
    }
});

Versions using:

"express": "^4.21.1",
"axios": "^1.7.8",
"sharp": "^0.33.5",
"multer": "^1.4.5-lts.1",

• node.js
• image
• sharp

• could you narrow down the error, in which part of the code does it happen, presumably somewhere where you use fs.unlink, so you could also include that part of the code (removed angular tags, it has nothing to do with frontend) – traynor Commented Feb 3 at 13:52
• @traynor I've scoped the code to the thumbnail, it appears to be the problem, if I don't add a thumbnail, the deletion can be completed without errors – Zander Commented Feb 3 at 13:58

1 Answer 1

It seems that Sharp can have troubles on Windows leaving the main image open.

What I can use, and worked perfectly fine, is create a new buffer from the original image, and use it to create the thumbnail.

// Get the path to the main image
const mainImagePath = path.join(targetDir, path.basename(mainFile.path));
// Read the image into a buffer
const imageBuffer = await fs.promises.readFile(mainImagePath);

// Use the buffer as Sharp’s input
await sharp(imageBuffer)
    .resize(150, 150)
    .toFile(thumbnailPath);
console.log("Thumbnail created successfully.");