SetFileAttributes Function

Declare Function SetFileAttributes Lib "kernel32.dll" Alias "SetFileAttributesA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, ByVal dwFileAttributes As Long) As Long

Platforms: Win 32s, Win 95/98, Win NT

SetFileAttributes changes the attributes of a file or a directory. The four attributes you can set are archive, read-only, hidden, and system status -- the other attributes merely reflect unchangeable properties of the file. Any of the four can be on or off in any order. The function returns 0 if an error occured, or 1 if successful.

lpFileName

The filename or directory, including the full path, to change the attributes of.

dwFileAttributes

One or more of the following flags specifying the attributes to set (those that can only be set by the operating system are not listed here):

FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE = &H20

An archive file (which most files are).

FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN = &H2

A hidden file, not normally visible to the user.

FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL = &H80

An attribute-less file (cannot be combined with other attributes).

FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY = &H1

A read-only file.

FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM = &H4

A system file, used exclusively by the operating system.

Example:

' Set the file C:\MyProgram\secret.dat to a hidden, read-only,
' archive file.
Dim fileattrs As Long  ' file attributes
Dim retval As Long  ' return value

fileattrs = FILE_ATTRIBUTES_ARCHIVE Or FILE_ATTRIBUTES_HIDDEN Or FILE_ATTRIBUTES_READONLY
retval = SetFileAttributes("C:\MyProgram\secret.dat", fileattrs)  ' set the file's attributes

Related Call: GetFileAttributes
Category: Files
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