The SetFileAttributes function sets a file's attributes.
BOOL SetFileAttributes(
LPCTSTR lpFileName, // pointer to filename
DWORD dwFileAttributes // attributes to set
);
Windows 95: This string must not exceed MAX_PATH characters.
Windows NT: There is a default string size limit for paths of MAX_PATH characters. This limit is related to how the SetFileAttributes 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 SetFileAttributes 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; it lets paths longer than MAX_PATH be used with SetFileAttributesW. However, each component in the path cannot be more than MAX_PATH characters long. This 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\wow\hotstuff\coolapps" is seen as "\\wow\hotstuff\coolapps".
| Attribute | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE | The file is an archive file. Applications use this attribute to mark files for backup or removal. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN | The file is hidden. It is not included in an ordinary directory listing. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | The file has no other attributes set. This attribute is valid only if used alone. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_OFFLINE | The data of the file is not immediately available. Indicates that the file data has been physically moved to offline storage. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY | The file is read-only. Applications can read the file but cannot write to it or delete it. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM | The file is part of the operating system or is used exclusively by it. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_TEMPORARY | The file is being used for temporary storage. File systems attempt to keep all of the data in memory for quicker access rather than flushing the data back to mass storage. A temporary file should be deleted by the application as soon as it is no longer needed. |
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.
The following table describes how to set the attributes that cannot be set using SetFileAttributes..
| Attribute | How to Set |
|---|---|
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_COMPRESSED | To set a file's compression state, use the DeviceIoControl function with the FSCTL_SET_COMPRESSION operation. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY | Files cannot be converted into directories. To create a directory, use the CreateDirectory or CreateDirectoryEx function. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ENCRYPTED | To encrypt a file, use the EncryptFile function. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT | To associate a reparse point with a file, use the DeviceIoControl function with the FSCTL_SET_REPARSE_POINT operation. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE | To set a file's sparse attribute, use the DeviceIoControl function with the FSCTL_SET_SPARSE operation. |
| FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM | This attribute cannot be set. |
Windows CE: If the function succeeds, the return value is TRUE. If the function fails, the return value is FALSE. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.
Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
Windows CE: Requires version 1.0 or later.
Header: Declared in winbase.h.
Import Library: Use kernel32.lib.
Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.
File I/O Overview, File Functions, GetFileAttributes