VB.NET Language in a Nutshell, Second Edition

Name

GetAttr Function

Class

Microsoft. VisualBasic.FileSystem

Yes

Syntax

GetAttr(pathname)

pathname (required; String)

Filename and an optional pathname

Return Value

An integer representing the sum of the following constants or members of the FileAttribute enumeration, which reflect the attributes set for the file:

FileAttribute Enum	Constant	Value	Description
Normal	VbNormal	0	Normal
ReadOnly	VbReadOnly	1	Read-only
Hidden	VbHidden	2	Hidden
System	VbSystem	4	System
Directory	VbDirectory	16	Directory or folder
Archive	VbArchive	32	File has changed since last backup

Description

Determines which attributes have been set for a file or directory

Rules at a Glance

• pathname may optionally include a directory name and a drive letter, including a network drive. pathname can also follow the UNC format of //machine_ name/drive.

• You can check if a particular attribute has been set by performing a bitwise comparison of the GetAttr return value and the value of the attribute constant using the And operator. A nonzero result means that the particular attribute has been set; conversely, a zero value indicates that the attribute has not been set. For example:

  If (GetAttr(myfile.txt) And VbReadOnly) = 0 then
      Msgbox "The file is Read-Write"
  Else
      MsgBox "The file is Read-Only"
  End If

Programming Tips and Gotchas

If pathname is invalid, a FileNotFoundException exception is generated.