Changing file attributes

Changing the file creation time stamp

To change the file creation time stamp you must delete and recreate the file:

 
  testFile = 'C:\TEMP\TEST'
                    /* read the file                                  */
  fileContents = CharIn( testFile,1 , chars( testFile ) )
                    /* close the file                                 */
  call stream testFile, 'c', 'CLOSE'
                    /* delete the file                                */
  'del ' testFile '2>NUL 1>NUL'
                    /* recreate the file                              */
  call CharOut testFile, fileContents
                    /* close the file                                 */
  call stream testFile, 'c', 'CLOSE'

This code will set the creation time stamp to the current time and date. If you need other values for this time stamp, you must change the current date and time before executing the code and restore it afterwards. Note that a time change is always global for the whole system!

You cannot read the creation time stamp with plain REXX. You need an external REXX DLL, like for example REXXLIB from Quercus Systems (see Internet - Web Pages), for this task.

Changing the last read time stamp

You can change the last read time stamp by opening the file for reading:

 
                    /* set the last read time stamp to the current    */
                    /* date/time                                      */
  testFile = 'C:\TEMP\TEST'
  call stream testFile, 'c', 'OPEN READ'
  call stream testFile, 'c', 'CLOSE'

Note that you cannot read the last read time stamp with plain REXX. You need an external REXX DLL, like for example REXXLIB from Quercus Systems (see Internet - Web Pages), for this task.

Changing the last write time stamp

To change the last write time stamp you can use the "poor mans" touch:

 
 testFile = 'C:\TEMP\TEST'
 'copy ' || testFile || '+,,' '2>NUL 1>NUL'

Note that the date and time retrieved with stream or with SysFileTree is always the last write time stamp.

Changing the file attributes

To change one or more of the file attributes you can either use the OS/2 command ATTRIB or the REXXUTIL function SysFileTree:

 
/* set the system and readonly attribute for the file C:\TEST         */

                    /* - using ATTRIB                                 */
  'attrib' '+r +s' 'C:\TEST'

                    /* - using SysFileTree                            */
  call RxFuncAdd 'SysFileTree', 'REXXUTIL', 'SysFileTree'
  call SysFileTree 'C:\TEST', dummyStem, 'F', '*****', '***++'

Changing the extended attributes of a file

To read and write the extended attributes of a file you can use the REXXUTIL functions SysGetEA and SysPutEA (and SysQueryEAList in Object-Oriented REXX).
To delete all extended attributes you can use the OS/2 command EAUTIL:

 
  'eautil c:\test nul /s'

(see also Extended Attributes used by the WPS, Extended Attribute Data Types, Extract the icon from the EAs, and The function SysPutEA())