Back to Basics: Change an Attribute on a File

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Today's post is short and sweet... just like the PoSh Progeny!

Here's a short and sweet way to manipulate file attributes. Stuff like 'Read-only' and 'File is ready for archiving' in the below image.

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First up, add an attribute. We have a file that is marked as Archive and Offline. Time to add ReadOnly.

 #Attribute to add
$Attribute = "ReadOnly"
        
#Get the target file / folder
$TargetItem = Get-Item -Path .\Untitled1.ps1

#Get the attributes of the item
$Attributes = $TargetItem.Attributes

#Add the additional permission
$file.Attributes = $file.Attributes -bor [System.IO.FileAttributes]::$Attribute

 

Now let's look at file attributes.

Capture161

Capture164

 

Jolly good. Now to remove that ReadOnly. A little more considered this time, as I want to preserve Archive and Offline.

 #Attribute to add
$Attribute = "ReadOnly"
        
#Get the target file / folder
$TargetItem = Get-Item -Path .\Untitled1.ps1

#Get the attributes of the item
$Attributes = $TargetItem.Attributes
           
#Split the existing attributes and remove the target one
$splitAtts = ($Attributes -split ",").trim() -replace "$Attribute"

#Loop through remaining attributes and make each a file attribute object
foreach ($SplitAtt in $SplitAtts) {
                
    #Add file attribute objects to an array
    [Array]$FileAtts += [System.IO.FileAttributes]$SplitAtt

}   #end of foreach ($splitAtt in $splitAtts)

#Apply the edited attribute set
$File.Attributes = $FileAtts

 

Now let's look at file attributes.

Capture162

 

Short and sweet and to the point...