SetAttr Statement

Sets attribute information for a file.

Syntax

SetAttr pathname, attributes

Parts

• pathname: Required. String expression that specifies a file name. May include directory or folder, and drive.
• attributes: Required. Numeric expression or constant specifying the file attributes. Sum of the values of the file attribute constants.

File Attribute Constants

Remarks

• Combining Attributes: You can combine attributes by adding their values together (e.g., vbReadOnly + vbHidden = 3).
• File Must Exist: A run-time error occurs if the file specified by pathname doesn't exist.
• Pathname Validation: Pathname can be a fully qualified path or a relative path. Wildcard characters (* and ?) are not supported.
• Cannot Set Directory Attribute: You cannot use SetAttr to set the directory (vbDirectory = 16) attribute. Use MkDir and RmDir instead.
• Volume Label: You cannot use SetAttr to set the volume label (vbVolume = 8) attribute.
• Read-Only Directories: SetAttr cannot change the read-only status of a directory; it only works with files.
• Error Handling: Use error handling to trap potential errors like file not found, permission denied, or invalid attributes.
• GetAttr Function: Use GetAttr to retrieve current file attributes before modifying them with SetAttr.
• Clearing Attributes: To clear an attribute, set the file to vbNormal (0) or use a combination that excludes the unwanted attribute.

Examples

Set File to Read-Only

SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", vbReadOnly

Set File to Hidden

SetAttr "C:\Data\Secret.dat", vbHidden

Combine Multiple Attributes

' Set file to read-only and hidden
SetAttr "C:\Config.ini", vbReadOnly + vbHidden

Clear All Attributes (Normal)

SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", vbNormal

Set Archive Attribute

SetAttr "C:\Backup\Data.dat", vbArchive

Using Variables

Dim fileName As String
Dim attrs As Integer

fileName = "C:\Data\MyFile.txt"
attrs = vbReadOnly + vbArchive
SetAttr fileName, attrs

Toggle Read-Only Attribute

Dim currentAttrs As Integer
Dim filePath As String

filePath = "C:\MyFile.txt"
currentAttrs = GetAttr(filePath)

If currentAttrs And vbReadOnly Then
' Remove read-only
SetAttr filePath, currentAttrs And Not vbReadOnly
Else
' Add read-only
SetAttr filePath, currentAttrs Or vbReadOnly
End If

Set System File

SetAttr "C:\Windows\system.dat", vbSystem

Set Multiple Files in a Loop

Dim i As Integer
For i = 1 To 10
SetAttr "C:\Files\File" & i & ".txt", vbReadOnly
Next i

With Error Handling

On Error Resume Next
SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", vbReadOnly
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Could not set file attributes: " & Err.Description
End If
On Error GoTo 0

Using App.Path

SetAttr App.Path & "\Config.ini", vbHidden

Preserve Existing Attributes While Adding New Ones

Dim filePath As String
Dim currentAttrs As Integer

filePath = "C:\MyFile.txt"
currentAttrs = GetAttr(filePath)

' Add hidden attribute while preserving others
SetAttr filePath, currentAttrs Or vbHidden

Remove Specific Attribute

Dim filePath As String
Dim currentAttrs As Integer

filePath = "C:\MyFile.txt"
currentAttrs = GetAttr(filePath)

' Remove hidden attribute while preserving others
SetAttr filePath, currentAttrs And Not vbHidden

Using Numeric Values

SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", 1  ' Same as vbReadOnly
SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", 3  ' Read-only + Hidden (1 + 2)
SetAttr "C:\MyFile.txt", 35 ' Read-only + Hidden + Archive (1 + 2 + 32)

Conditional Attribute Setting

If FileIsImportant Then
SetAttr filePath, vbReadOnly + vbArchive
Else
SetAttr filePath, vbNormal
End If

Common Errors

• Error 53: File not found - occurs if the pathname doesn't exist
• Error 5: Invalid procedure call or argument - occurs if attributes value is invalid
• Error 70: Permission denied - occurs if you don't have write access to the file
• Error 75: Path/File access error - occurs if the file is open or locked

Important Notes

• File Must Be Closed: The file should not be open when you use SetAttr.
• Permissions Required: You must have appropriate permissions to change file attributes.
• Network Files: SetAttr works with network files if you have appropriate permissions.
• UNC Paths: SetAttr supports UNC (Universal Naming Convention) paths like "\\Server\Share\File.txt".
• Attribute Persistence: File attributes persist after the application closes; they're stored in the file system.
• Read-Only Files: To modify a read-only file, you must first remove the read-only attribute, make changes, then restore it.
• GetAttr Complement: Always use GetAttr to retrieve current attributes before modifying them to avoid unintentionally removing existing attributes.

Best Practices

• Use error handling when working with SetAttr as file operations can fail for many reasons
• Use GetAttr before SetAttr to preserve existing attributes you don't want to change
• Use symbolic constants (vbReadOnly, etc.) instead of numeric values for better code readability
• Check file existence using Dir() before calling SetAttr
• Be cautious when setting system attributes as they can affect system stability
• Document why specific attributes are being set, especially for hidden or system files
• Consider user permissions when setting attributes on shared or network files

See Also

• GetAttr function (retrieve file attributes)
• Dir function (check if file exists)
• Kill statement (delete files)
• Name statement (rename files)
• FileCopy statement (copy files)

References

• SetAttr Statement - Microsoft Docs