VB .NET Language in a Nutshell

Name

GetAttr Function

Class

Microsoft. VisualBasic.FileSystem

Yes

Syntax

GetAttr(pathname)

pathname

Use: Required

Data Type: 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.