ATTRIB ATTRIB ATTRIB ATTRIB File Attribute Manipulation Utility Reference Manual February 1987 This document describes the ATTRIB File Attribute Manipulation Utility. This utility is unlicensed and unsupported. Revision/Update Information: This is a new manual. Operating System and Version: MS-DOS* version 2.10 or later. Software Version: ATTRIB version 1.0 NOT NOT NOT Support: THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT SUPPORTED BY DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION. Direct Questions and Comments To: Brian Hetrick ZKO1-3/J10 Digital Equipment Corporation 110 Spit Brook Road Nashua NH 03062-2698 USA * MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Digital Equipment Corporation Maynard Massachusetts February 1987 The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation. Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. The software described in this document is unlicensed and unsupported. Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for the use or Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for the use or Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for the use or Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for the use or reliability of this software reliability of this software reliability of this software reliability of this software. This software is provided "as is," without any warranty of any kind, express or implied. Digital Equipment Corporation will not be liable in any event for any damages including any loss of data, profit, or savings, claims against the user by any other party, or any other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of, or inability to use, this software, even if Digital Equipment Corporation is advised of the possibility of such damage. This documentation and the software it describes have been placed into the public domain by Digital Equipment Corporation. The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: DEC MASSBUS RSX VAX DECmate PDP RT VAXcluster DECnet P/OS ULTRIX VAXmate DECUS Professional ULTRIX-32 VMS DECwriter Rainbow ULTRIX-32M VT DIBOL RSTS UNIBUS Work Processor _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | | | | | | | |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_| Contents Contents Contents Contents Page Preface v Intended Audience v Structure of This Document v Associated Documents v Conventions Used in This Document v Acknowledgments vi Summary 1 Format 1 Command Qualifiers 1 Command Parameters 1 Usage 1 Invoking 1 Exiting 1 Directing Output 2 Description 3 Invoking the File Attribute Manipulation Utility 3 Command Parameters 3 Display of File Names and Attributes 5 Command Qualifiers 6 Restrictions 6 Command Qualifiers 7 /HELP Command Qualifier 7 Format 7 Description 7 Example 7 /LOG Command Qualifier 8 Format 8 Description 8 Example 8 /RESET Command Qualifier 9 Format 9 Description 9 Example 10 /SET Command Qualifier 11 Format 11 Description 11 Example 12 Examples 13 Avoiding Full Backup After Restore 13 Avoiding Full Backup After Failed Incremental Backup 13 Making a File Invisible 14 Making a File Visible 14 Making a File Unmodifiable 14 Making a File Modifiable 15 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Preface Preface Preface Preface Preface Intended Audience Intended Audience Intended Audience Intended Audience This manual is intended for all MS-DOS users. Structure of This Document Structure of This Document Structure of This Document Structure of This Document This document has four major sections: o The Summary section is an overview of the File Attribute Manipulation Utility and is intended as a quick reference guide. The Format subsection describes the command that invokes the File Attribute Manipulation Utility, listing all command qualifiers and parameters. The Usage subsection describes how to invoke the File Attribute Manipulation Utility and how to redirect output. o The Description section explains how to use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility and lists any restrictions you should be aware of. o The Command Qualifier section describes each command qualifier. This section lists the command qualifiers in alphabetical order. o The Examples section contains examples of common operations that you perform with the File Attribute Manipulation Utility. Associated Documents Associated Documents Associated Documents Associated Documents To use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility, you should also be familiar with the following manual: ______ ______ _____ ____ _________ ______ o MS-DOS User's Guide, or Disk Operating System manual, as appropriate. Conventions Used in This Document Conventions Used in This Document Conventions Used in This Document Conventions Used in This Document Convention Meaning ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* E>ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* Command examples show output lines or prompting characters that the system prints or displays in normal type. All user-entered commands bold bold bold are shown in bold type. v File Attribute Manipulation Utility Preface /[NO]LOG Format descriptions use square brackets to indicate that the enclosed item is optional. ________ _________ ATTRIB wildspec [qualifier] Format descriptions show all portions of the command or command qualifier. Upper case letters and special characters must be entered exactly as shown. Lower case italic letters indicate portions of the command for which you must substitute values which determine the effect of the command. _____ _____ /SET:(value[,value]...) Ellipses (...) in format descriptions indicate that the immediately preceding item may be repeated several times. The symbol indicates that you must press the key labeled CTRL while you simultaneously press another key, for example, . Acknowledgments Acknowledgments Acknowledgments Acknowledgments The ATTRIB File Attribute Manipulation Utility uses the public domain command line parsing package written by Bela Lubkin of Borland International Inc. Several employees of Digital Equipment Corporation served as beta testers for various preliminary versions of this documentation and the software it describes. The author thanks these persons for their contribution to this utility. vi File Attribute Manipulation Utility Summary Summary Summary Summary Summary The ATTRIB File Attribute Manipulation Utility displays, sets, and resets attributes of files. Format Format Format Format ________ _________ ATTRIB [wildspec]... [qualifier]... Command Qualifiers Defaults Command Qualifiers Defaults Command Qualifiers Defaults Command Qualifiers Defaults /[NO]HELP /NOHELP /[NO]LOG /LOG _____ /RESET:value [none] _____ /SET:value [none] Command Parameters Command Parameters Command Parameters Command Parameters ________ wildspec A path specification, the last component of which may contain wild card characters, describing the files whose attributes are to be displayed, set, or reset. If several path specifications are given, each is processed in turn. Command parameters and command qualifiers may be given in any order. Usage Usage Usage Usage Invoking Invoking Invoking Invoking You invoke the File Attribute Manipulation Utility with the ATTRIB command. Exiting Exiting Exiting Exiting You exit the File Attribute Manipulation Utility normally by waiting until processing is complete. The File Attribute Manipulation Utility will return control to the command interpreter when processing is complete. You can exit the File Attribute Manipulation Utility abnormally by typing , if the /NOLOG command qualifier has not been given or if the MS-DOS BREAK parameter is ON. 1 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Summary Directing Output Directing Output Directing Output Directing Output By default, messages from the File Attribute Manipulation Utility are directed to the console device. Such messages may be redirected to another device or a file with the I/O redirection facilities of the command interpreter. 2 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Description Description Description Description Description The File Attribute Manipulation Utility is a command-line oriented program used to display, set, and reset file system attributes of individual files or groups of files. Through the use of the File Attribute Manipulation Utility, you can display the names of hidden and system files, protect files against alteration or deletion, make files eligible or ineligible for display with the MS-DOS DIR command, and force files to be backed up or not backed up with an incremental backup utility. Invoking the File Attribute Manipulation Utility Invoking the File Attribute Manipulation Utility Invoking the File Attribute Manipulation Utility Invoking the File Attribute Manipulation Utility You invoke the File Attribute Manipulation Utility with the ATTRIB command, optionally followed by one or more wild card path specifications of the files whose attributes are to be displayed or manipulated. If you do not specify any wild card path specifications and also do not specify any command qualifiers, the File Attribute Manipulation Utility will display the names and attributes of all files in the current directory of the volume in the current drive. If you specify command qualifiers other than /HELP but do not specify any wild card path specifications, the File Attribute Manipulation Utility will take no action. If you specify at least one wild card path specification, the File Attribute Manipulation Utility will process all files with names matching the wild card path specifications and then exit. Command Parameters Command Parameters Command Parameters Command Parameters The File Attribute Manipulation Utility processes the files whose names are selected by the wild card path specifications. For example, the following command displays the attributes and names of all files on the current directory of the volume in drive C: 3 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Description ATTRIB C:*.* ATTRIB C:*.* ATTRIB C:*.* E>ATTRIB C:*.* ATTRIB version 1.0 C:\*.*: IBMBIO.COM Arc R/O Hid Sys IBMDOS.COM Arc R/O Hid Sys AUTOEXEC.BAT Arc BIN Dir LIB Dir USR Dir CONFIG.SYS Arc M2LOD Dir M2LIB Dir If a drive letter is specified in a wild card path specification, the path is interpreted as residing on the volume in the specified drive. Otherwise, the path is interpreted as residing on the current default drive. If the path starts with a back slash (\), the path is interpreted as relative to the root directory of the volume. Otherwise, the path is interpreted as relative to the current default directory of the volume. In all of these cases, the absolute form of the wild card path specification is displayed, followed by a line for each of the files selected by the wild card path specification. The last component of the path specifications given in the command may contain wild card characters. An asterisk (*) in the file name portion of the last component of the path specification indicates that all files whose names match the portion of the file name before the asterisk will match the file name portion. An asterisk as the first or only character of the file name portion of the last component of the path specification will match the file name of all files. Similarly, an asterisk in the file extension portion of the last component of the path specification indicates that all files whose extensions match the portion of the file extension before the asterisk will match the file extension portion. An asterisk as the first or only character of the file extension portion of the last component of the path specification will match the file extension of all files. A question mark (?) in any position of the last component of the path specification will match any single character in a file name or file extension. Question marks as the last characters of the file name or file extension portions of the last component of the path specification will also match null (nonexistent) characters of the file name or file extension. If the current directory on the volume in drive B is the root directory, then the command: 4 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Description ATTRIB B:???.D* ATTRIB B:???.D* ATTRIB B:???.D* E>ATTRIB B:???.D* will list the attributes and names of all files in the root directory of the volume in drive B whose file names are at most three characters long, and whose file extensions start with the letter D. Except in the root directory of a volume, a single period (.) in the place of a directory name refers to the directory which would be specified in the absence of the period, while two periods (..) refers to the parent of the directory which would be specified in the absence of the two periods. When the directory which would be specified without the periods is the root directory of a volume, both a single period and two periods refers to the root directory. A single back slash also refers to the root directory of a volume. If the path specification ends in either a colon (:) or a back slash (\), the File Attribute Manipulation Utility appends the wild card specification *.* to the path appearing in the command line. For example, the command: ATTRIB A: ATTRIB A: ATTRIB A: E>ATTRIB A: lists the attributes and names of files in the current directory of the volume in drive A. Display of File Names and Attributes Display of File Names and Attributes Display of File Names and Attributes Display of File Names and Attributes The File Attribute Manipulation Utility lists the attributes and names of the files matching each the wild card path specification in the following format: pathspec: filename.ext Arc Dir R/O Hid Sys "Pathspec" is the wild card path specification specified in the command line, expressed in absolute terms. It includes a drive letter and a complete path specification relative to the root directory of the volume in the drive. "Filename.ext" is the name of a file selected by the path specification, relative to the directory containing the last component of the path specification. "Arc," if present, indicates that the file has the "archive" attribute set. This attribute is set whenever the file is written to, and is reset only by specific programmed requests. This attribute is often used by incremental backup utilities to determine whether a file has changed since the last backup. 5 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Description "Dir," if present, indicates that the file has the "directory" attribute set. This attribute is set when the file is an MS-DOS subdirectory, rather than a data file. "R/O," if present, indicates that the file has the "read only" attribute set. This attribute prevents the file from being written to or deleted. "Hid," if present, indicates that the file has the "hidden" attribute set. This attribute prevents the file from being found by normal directory searches, such as used by the MS-DOS DIR command. "Sys," if present, indicates that the file has the "system" attribute set. This attribute prevents the file from being found by normal directory searches, such as used by the MS-DOS DIR command. Command Qualifiers Command Qualifiers Command Qualifiers Command Qualifiers You can obtain a description of the File Attribute Manipulation Utility's command parameters and command qualifiers with the /HELP command qualifier. You can suppress the listing of the file names and attributes with the /NOLOG command qualifier. You can modify the attributes of the files selected with the /RESET and /SET command qualifiers. In this case, the attributes listed are the file attributes as modified by the /RESET and /SET command qualifiers, rather than the file attributes before modification. Restrictions Restrictions Restrictions Restrictions You cannot set or reset the directory attribute of a file. This is a limitation of the MS-DOS file system. You can use wild card characters only in the last component of a path specification. This is a limitation of the directory search process provided by the MS-DOS operating system. 6 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers /HELP Command Qualifier /HELP Command Qualifier /HELP Command Qualifier /HELP Command Qualifier Format Format Format Format /HELP /NOHELP Description Description Description Description By default, the File Attribute Manipulation Utility does not give a description of the command parameters and command qualifiers it accepts. The /HELP command qualifier controls the generation of this description of command parameters and command qualifiers. If you specify /HELP, the description is produced. If you omit the qualifier or specify /NOHELP, no description is produced. The HELP keyword may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another command qualifier. The minimum abbreviation of the HELP keyword is H. The minimum abbreviation of the NOHELP negated keyword construct is NOH. If the /HELP command qualifier is specified several times in a single command, the rightmost occurrence of the qualifier is effective. Example Example Example Example ATTRIB /HELP ATTRIB /HELP ATTRIB /HELP E>ATTRIB /HELP ATTRIB version 1.0 Command line: ATTRIB filespec [qualifier]... 'filespec' is a path specification possibly with wild card characters in the last component 'qualifier' is one of /[NO]HELP, /[NO]LOG, /SET:value, /RESET:value, /CLEAR:value, /REMOVE:value /SET grants attributes /RESET, /CLEAR, and /REMOVE remove attributes 'value' is either name or (name[,name]...) 'name' is one of ARCHIVE, HIDDEN, SYSTEM, READ_ONLY All keywords may be uniquely abbreviated 7 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers /LOG Command Qualifier /LOG Command Qualifier /LOG Command Qualifier /LOG Command Qualifier Format Format Format Format /LOG /NOLOG Description Description Description Description By default, the File Attribute Manipulation Utility lists the attributes and names of all files selected by the command line. The /LOG command qualifier controls this listing of file attributes and names. If you specify /NOLOG, no listing is produced. If you omit the qualifier or specify /LOG, the listing is produced. The LOG keyword may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another command qualifier keyword. The minimum abbreviation of the LOG keyword is L. The minimum abbreviation of the NOLOG negated keyword construct is NOL. If the /LOG command qualifier is specified several times in a single command, the rightmost occurrence of the qualifier is effective. Example Example Example Example ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* /NOLOG ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* /NOLOG ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* /NOLOG E>ATTRIB /SET:SYSTEM *.* /NOLOG ATTRIB version 1.0 ATTRIB *.* ATTRIB *.* ATTRIB *.* E>ATTRIB *.* ATTRIB version 1.0 E:\*.*: ABSTRACT Dir Sys M2LIB Dir Sys M2LOD Dir Sys ATTRIB *.* /RESET:SYSTEM /LOG ATTRIB *.* /RESET:SYSTEM /LOG ATTRIB *.* /RESET:SYSTEM /LOG E>ATTRIB *.* /RESET:SYSTEM /LOG ATTRIB version 1.0 E:\*.*: ABSTRACT Dir M2LIB Dir M2LOD Dir 8 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers /RESET Command Qualifier /RESET Command Qualifier /RESET Command Qualifier /RESET Command Qualifier Format Format Format Format _____ /RESET:value _____ _____ /RESET:(value[,value]...) _____ /CLEAR:value _____ _____ /CLEAR:(value[,value]...) _____ /REMOVE:value _____ _____ /REMOVE:(value[,value]...) Description Description Description Description By default, the File Attribute Manipulator Utility leaves unchanged the attributes of the files selected by the wild card path specifications. The /RESET command qualifier directs the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to reset (remove) specific attributes for the selected files. The value specified for the /RESET command qualifier may be a single item from the list: ARCHIVE - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to reset the "archive" attribute HIDDEN - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to reset the "hidden" attribute READ_ONLY - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to reset the "read only" attribute SYSTEM - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to reset the "system" attribute The value specified for the /RESET command qualifier may also be a combination of these values, separated by commas and enclosed in parentheses. The ARCHIVE, HIDDEN, READ_ONLY, and SYSTEM keywords may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another of these keywords. The minimum abbreviations of these keywords are A, H, R, and S, respectively. The CLEAR, REMOVE, and RESET keywords are synonyms. The CLEAR, REMOVE, and RESET keywords may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another command qualifier keyword. The minimum abbreviation of these keywords are C, R, and R, respectively. R and RE are accepted for both the REMOVE and RESET keywords as these keywords are synonyms. An equals sign (=) may be used in place of a colon (:) to separate the command qualifier keyword from the command qualifier 9 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers value. If the /RESET command qualifier is specified several times in a single command, attributes appearing in any of the /RESET command qualifiers are reset. No item specified in the /RESET command qualifier may also be specified in the /SET command qualifier. Example Example Example Example ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(ARCHIVE,HIDDEN,READ_ONLY,SYSTEM) ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(ARCHIVE,HIDDEN,READ_ONLY,SYSTEM) ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(ARCHIVE,HIDDEN,READ_ONLY,SYSTEM) E>ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(ARCHIVE,HIDDEN,READ_ONLY,SYSTEM) ATTRIB version 1.0 G:\BIN\C*.COM: CHKDSK.COM Arc R/O Hid Sys COMMAND.COM Arc R/O Hid Sys ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /RESET:HIDDEN ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /RESET:HIDDEN ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /RESET:HIDDEN E>ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /RESET:HIDDEN ATTRIB version 1.0 G:\BIN\C*.COM: CHKDSK.COM Arc R/O Sys COMMAND.COM Arc R/O Sys 10 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers /SET Command Qualifier /SET Command Qualifier /SET Command Qualifier /SET Command Qualifier Format Format Format Format _____ /SET:value _____ _____ /SET:(value[,value]...) Description Description Description Description By default, the File Attribute Manipulator Utility leaves unchanged the attributes of the files selected by the wild card path specifications. The /SET command qualifier directs the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to set specific attributes for the selected files. The value specified for the /SET command qualifier may be a single item from the list: ARCHIVE - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to set the "archive" attribute HIDDEN - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to set the "hidden" attribute READ_ONLY - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to set the "read only" attribute SYSTEM - Specifying this item directs the File Attribute Manipulator Utility to set the "system" attribute The value specified for the /SET command qualifier may also be a combination of these values, separated by commas and enclosed in parentheses. The ARCHIVE, HIDDEN, READ_ONLY, and SYSTEM keywords may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another of these four keywords. The minimum abbreviations of these keywords are A, H, R, and S, respectively. The SET keyword may be abbreviated to any leading substring which does not also abbreviate another command qualifier keyword. The minimum abbreviation of the SET keyword is S. An equals sign (=) may be used in place of a colon (:) to separate the command qualifier keyword from the command qualifier value. If the /SET command qualifier is specified several times in a single command, attributes appearing in any of the /SET command qualifiers are set. No item specified in the /SET command qualifier may also be 11 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Command Qualifiers specified in the /RESET command qualifier. Example Example Example Example ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(HIDDEN,ARCHIVE) ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(HIDDEN,ARCHIVE) ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(HIDDEN,ARCHIVE) E>ATTRIB G:\BIN\C*.COM /SET:(HIDDEN,ARCHIVE) ATTRIB version 1.0 G:\BIN\C*.COM: CHKDSK.COM Arc Hid COMMAND.COM Arc Hid 12 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Examples Examples Examples Examples Examples Avoiding Full Backup After Restore Avoiding Full Backup After Restore Avoiding Full Backup After Restore Avoiding Full Backup After Restore Many file backup and restore utilities permit incremental backups, where only files having the archive attribute are copied from the disk being backed up to the backup media. These utilities generally exactly restore the files' attributes when such files are restored. At the next incremental backup, all restored files are backed up again, as they have the archive attribute, this being the reason they were included in the first backup. You can use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to reset the archive attributes of such files, making them ineligible for an incremental backup. This is useful when large files are restored from a previous backup, and it is not desired to back up these files yet again. The command: ATTRIB /RESET:ARCHIVE *.* ATTRIB /RESET:ARCHIVE *.* ATTRIB /RESET:ARCHIVE *.* E>ATTRIB /RESET:ARCHIVE *.* will reset the archive attribute of all files in the current directory of the current drive, making these files ineligible for future incremental backups until their contents are changed. Avoiding Full Backup After Failed Incremental Backup Avoiding Full Backup After Failed Incremental Backup Avoiding Full Backup After Failed Incremental Backup Avoiding Full Backup After Failed Incremental Backup Many file backup and restore utilities permit incremental backups, where only files having the archive attribute are copied from the disk being backed up to the backup media. Some of these utilities remove the archive attribute from files as the files are copied to the backup media, before it is known whether the backup as a whole is successful. With such utilities, if the backup process fails before completion, the files may be unrecoverable from the backup media created by the failed backup process. Even after the cause of the backup utility's failure has been removed, an incremental backup will not back up the files whose archive attributes were removed by the failed backup process. You can use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to set the archive attribute of the files whose archive attribute has been removed by a failed incremental backup. The command: ATTRIB /SET:ARCHIVE *.* ATTRIB /SET:ARCHIVE *.* ATTRIB /SET:ARCHIVE *.* E>ATTRIB /SET:ARCHIVE *.* will give the archive attribute to all files in the current directory of the current drive, making these files eligible for a future incremental backup. 13 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Examples Making a File Invisible Making a File Invisible Making a File Invisible Making a File Invisible You can use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to make a file undetectable through normal directory searches, such as used by the MS-DOS DIR command. Files with either the hidden attribute or the system attribute are not found through normal directory searches. The command: ATTRIB /SET:HIDDEN filename ATTRIB /SET:HIDDEN filename ATTRIB /SET:HIDDEN filename ________ ________ ________ ________ E>ATTRIB /SET:HIDDEN filename ________ will set the hidden attribute of the file specified by filename, and so make it undetectable through normal directory searches. ________ If filename specifies a subdirectory, then it will not appear in directory listings, but otherwise will act normally. Making a File Visible Making a File Visible Making a File Visible Making a File Visible You can use the File Attribute Manipulation Utility to make a file which has one or both of the hidden and system attribute detectable through normal directory searches, such as used by the MS-DOS DIR command. The command: ATTRIB /RESET:(HIDDEN,SYSTEM) filename ATTRIB /RESET:(HIDDEN,SYSTEM) filename ATTRIB /RESET:(HIDDEN,SYSTEM) filename ________ ________ ________ ________ E>ATTRIB /RESET:(HIDDEN,SYSTEM) filename will reset the hidden and system attributes for the file ________ specified by filename. As files with the hidden or system attributes are not detectable through normal directory searches, a utility that uses special directory searches must be used to detect their presence. The File Attribute Manipulator Utility uses such searches. The command: ATTRIB *.* ATTRIB *.* ATTRIB *.* E>ATTRIB *.* will list the attributes and names of all files in the current directory, including files with the hidden or system attributes. Making a File Unmodifiable Making a File Unmodifiable Making a File Unmodifiable Making a File Unmodifiable You can make a file ineligible to be written upon or deleted, with the File Attribute Manipulation Utility. This protects the files against accidental deletion or modification. The command: ATTRIB /SET:READ_ONLY filename ATTRIB /SET:READ_ONLY filename ATTRIB /SET:READ_ONLY filename ________ ________ ________ ________ E>ATTRIB /SET:READ_ONLY filename ________ gives the file specified by filename the read only attribute. The MS-DOS operating system will not permit a file with the read only attribute to be written upon or deleted. To modify or delete the file, it is first necessary to remove the read only 14 File Attribute Manipulation Utility Examples attribute. Making a File Modifiable Making a File Modifiable Making a File Modifiable Making a File Modifiable You can make a file which has the read only attribute eligible for modification and deletion using the File Attribute Manipulation Utility. This would be necessary, for example, if you wanted to delete a data file which contained obsolete information, but which had been protected against accidental modification or deletion. The command: ATTRIB /RESET:READ_ONLY filename ATTRIB /RESET:READ_ONLY filename ATTRIB /RESET:READ_ONLY filename ________ ________ ________ ________ E>ATTRIB /RESET:READ_ONLY filename removes the read only attribute from the file specified by ________ filename. The MS-DOS operating system will then permit the file to be written upon or deleted. 15