GetFileAttributesEx

The GetFileAttributesEx function obtains attribute information about a specified file or directory.

This function is similar to the GetFileAttributes function. GetFileAttributes returns a set of FAT-style attribute information. GetFileAttributesEx is designed to obtain other sets of file or directory attribute information. Currently, GetFileAttributeEx obtains a set of standard attributes that is a superset of the FAT-style attribute information.

BOOL GetFileAttributesEx(
  LPCTSTR lpFileName,        // pointer to string that specifies a 
                             // file or directory
  GET_FILEEX_INFO_LEVELS fInfoLevelId, 
                             // value that specifies the type of 
                             // attribute information to obtain
  LPVOID lpFileInformation   // pointer to buffer to receive 
                             // attribute information
);
 

Parameters

lpFileName

Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies a file or directory.

By default, this string is limited to MAX_PATH characters. The limit is related to how the GetFileAttributesEx function parses paths. An application can transcend this limit and send in paths longer than MAX_PATH characters by calling the wide (W) version of GetFileAttributesEx and prepending "\\?\" to the path. However, each component in the path cannot be more than MAX_PATH characters long. The "\\?\" tells the function to turn off path parsing. This technique also works with UNC names. The "\\?\" is ignored as part of the path. For example, "\\?\C:\myworld\private" is seen as "C:\myworld\private", and "\\?\UNC\peanuts\hotstuff\coolapps" is seen as "\\peanuts\hotstuff\coolapps".

fInfoLevelId

Specifies a GET_FILEEX_INFO_LEVELS enumeration type that gives the set of attribute information to obtain.

lpFileInformation

Pointer to a buffer that receives the attribute information. The type of attribute information stored into this buffer is determined by the value of fInfoLevelId.

Return Values

If the function succeeds, the return value is a nonzero value.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 4.0 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 98 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in winbase.h.
  Import Library: Use kernel32.lib.
  Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.

See Also

File I/O Overview, File Functions, GetFileAttributes, GET_FILEEX_INFO_LEVELS, SetFileAttributes