fAttribute (Function)

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External file management functions

Identifying the files attributes

Modifying the attributes of a file (syntax 2)

Managing errors

Operating mode in Windows Vista (and later)

See also

Functions for managing directories and external files

fAttribute (Function)

In french: fAttribut

Returns or modifies the attributes of a file.

In this version, you can only find out the file attributes.

Versions 15 and later

This function is now available for Android applications.

New in version 15

This function is now available for Android applications.

Versions 17 and later

This function is now available for iPhone/iPad applications.

New in version 17

This function is now available for iPhone/iPad applications.

Versions 18 and later

This function is now available in Android Widget mode.

This function is now available in Windows Store apps mode.

New in version 18

This function is now available in Android Widget mode.

This function is now available in Windows Store apps mode.

This function is now available in Android Widget mode.

This function is now available in Windows Store apps mode.

Versions 21 and later

This function is now available in Universal Windows 10 App mode.

New in version 21

This function is now available in Universal Windows 10 App mode.

Example

See additional examples

// Retrieve the attributes of a file
ResAttribute = fAttribute(FilePath + "\File.txt")
IF ResAttribute <> "ERR" THEN
...
END

Syntax

Retrieving the attributes of a file or directory Hide the details

<Result> = fAttribute(<File path>)

<Result>: Character string

"ERR" if an error occurred. To get the details of the error, use ErrorInfo with the errMessage constant.
One or more letters corresponding to the file attributes ("AH" for example).
The following letters are used:
R: Read-only file. The file can be accessed in read-only.
H: Hidden file. The file name is grayed or invisible in the explorer.
This value is not available.
S: System file. The file is a Windows system file.
This value is not available.
A: "Archive" file. This attribute indicates that the file can be archived. Some programs are using this attribute to find out which files have been saved.
This value is not supported.
D: Directory or subdirectory. The file is a directory or a sub-directory.
C: Compressed file (on the NTFS partitions). This file was automatically compressed during its copy on an NTFS partition (Windows NT or 2000).
This value is not available.
L: Drive. This name corresponds to the volume name of one of the disks accessible from the computer.
This value is not available.

<File path>: Character string (with quotes)

Name and full (or relative) path of file (up to 260 characters). A UNC path can be used.
This path must be a full path or a UNC path. It cannot be a relative path.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: In Android, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories, as well as to the external memory (SDCard).
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: In Android, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories, as well as to the external memory (SDCard).
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: In Android, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories, as well as to the external memory (SDCard).
Versions 17 and later
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.
New in version 17
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.

Modifying the attributes of a file or directory Hide the details

<Result> = fAttribute(<File path> , <File attributes>)

<Result>: Character string

"ERR" if an error occurred. To get the details of the error, use ErrorInfo with the errMessage constant.
One or more letters corresponding to the new attributes of the file ("AH" for example):. The following letters are used:
R: Read-only file. The file can be accessed in read-only.
H: Hidden file. The file name is grayed or invisible in the explorer.
S: System file. The file is a Windows system file.
A: "Archive" file. This attribute indicates that the file can be archived. Some programs are using this attribute to find out which files have been saved.
D: Directory or subdirectory. The file is a directory or a sub-directory.
C: Compressed file (on the NTFS partitions). This file was automatically compressed during its copy on an NTFS partition (Windows NT or 2000).

<File path>: Character string (with quotes)

Name and full (or relative) path of file (up to 260 characters). A UNC path can be used.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
Name and full path of the file (up to 260 characters).
Versions 17 and later
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.
New in version 17
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.
This parameter can correspond to a full path or a path relative to the current directory (returned by fCurrentDir). This parameter is case-sensitive.
Reminder: On iPhone/iPad, the file system is read-only on the device and on the emulator. An application can only write to its setup directory or one of its subdirectories.

<File attributes>: Character string (with quotes)

One or more letters corresponding to the new attributes of the specified file ("AH" for example). The order of the letters has no importance. The following letters are used:
R: Read-only file. The file can be accessed in read-only.
H: Hidden file. The file name is grayed or invisible in the explorer.
S: System file. The file is a Windows system file.
A: "Archive" file. This attribute indicates that the file can be archived. Some programs are using this attribute to find out which files have been saved.
"" (empty string). All the attributes are disabled.

Remarks

Identifying the files attributes

To retrieve the different attributes of a file, check whether one of the letters identifying an attribute is found in <Result>. This search can be performed by Position for example.

Modifying the attributes of a file (syntax 2)

After modification, the attributes of the file correspond to the attributes specified by fAttribute. For example, if <File attributes> corresponds to "AR", the specified file will become a read-only archive file.

Special cases:

Modifying a directory or a sub-directory: the "Directory or sub-directory" attribute (letter D) cannot be modified. Regardless of the modification performed, the directory (or the sub-directory) will keep the "Directory and sub-directory" attribute (letter D).
Modifying a compressed file (on the NTFS partitions): the "Compressed file" attribute (letter C) cannot be modified. Regardless of the modification performed, the compressed file will keep the "Compressed file" attribute (letter C).

Managing errors

fAttribute generates an error in the following cases:

the specified file does not exist,
the name of the specified file is invalid,
the specified file is opened or locked by another application (when modifying the attributes only),
the letters specified in <File attributes> do not correspond to file attributes.
a Unicode string was used for <File name> in an operating system such as Windows 98 or Windows Me.

Operating mode in Windows Vista (and later)

If this function does not operate properly in Windows Vista (and later), check whether the file or directory used is not in one of the system directories (Windows directory or "Program Files" directory).

Indeed, in Windows Vista (and later), with the UAC mechanism (User Account Control) enabled, you must have the administrator privileges to handle and/or modify the files or directories in the system directories (Windows directory or "Program Files" directory).

Programming tip: To handle and/or modify the files or directories without administrator privileges, you should:

avoid writing to the Windows directory or to the "Program Files" directory,
use the system directory of the application (returned by SysDir with the srAppDataCommun constant, for example).

Component: wd260std.dll