FLAG

Purpose

Use at a workstation to

View or modify file and directory attributes to determine which operations can be performed with the file or directory.
Modify the owner of a file or directory.
View or modify the search mode of executable files to determine how the program uses search drives when looking for a file.

Syntax

FLAG path [[+ | -] attribute...] [/option...]
[/? | /VER]

Parameter	Use to
(no parameter)	View the status of all files in the directory.
path	Specify the path to the file or directory whose attributes or search modes you want to modify.
+ \| -	Add attributes to a file or directory (with +). Remove attributes from a file or directory (with -). If neither + nor - is used, attributes are assigned to the file or directory as specified. When you add or delete multiple attributes, include a space between attribute abbreviations. If you add and remove attributes in the same command, group all + (plus) attributes together and all - (minus) attributes together.
attribute	Specify one or more file or directory attributes. See "Directory Attributes" and "File Attributes".
/option	Specify an option from the "FLAG Options" table.
/?	View online help. (Other parameters are ignored.)
/VER	View the version number of the utility and the list of files it uses to execute. (Other parameters are ignored.)

FLAG Options

Option	Use to
/NAME \| GROUP = name	Change the owner of a file or directory.
/D	View details about a file or directory.
/DO	View or modify only directories in the specified path.
/FO	View or modify only files in the specified path.
/OWNER=name	View all files or directories owned by a user.
/M=mode	Specify search modes of executable files. (See "Search Modes for Executable Files".)"
/S	Search the subdirectory in the specified path and any subdirectories below that level.
/C	Scroll continuously through output.

<Directory Attributes

Option	Use to
ALL	Specify the Di, H, Ic, P, Ri, and Sy attributes as a group. Primarily used to assign directories these specific attributes.
Di (Delete Inhibit)	Prevent the directory from being deleted.
Dc (Don't Compress)	Prevent the directory from being compressed (regardless of what the volume is set to).
Dm (Don't Migrate)	Prevent the directory from being migrated to a secondary backup system (regardless of what the volume is set to).
H (Hidden)	Prevent the directory from being seen with a DOS DIR command.
Ic (Immediate Compress)	Compress the directory as soon as the operating system can.
N (Normal)	Specify no attributes.
P (Purge)	Purge the directory immediately when it is deleted.
Ri (Rename Inhibit)	Prevent the directory from being renamed.
Sy (System)	Prevent the directory from being seen with a DOS DIR command; also to prevent it from being copied or deleted.

File Attributes

Option	Use to
ALL	Specify the A, Ci, Di, H, Ic, P, Ri, Ro, Sh, Sy, and T attributes as a group. Primarily used to assign files these specific attributes.
A (Archive needed)	Indicate that the file has been modified since the last backup.
Ci (Copy Inhibit)	(Only for MAC files) Prevent files from being copied.
Dc (Don't Compress)	Prevent a file from being compressed (regardless of what the volume or directory is set to).
Di (Delete Inhibit)	Prevent a file from being deleted or copied over.
Dm (Don't Migrate)	Prevent a file from being migrated to a secondary backup system (regardless of what the volume or directory is set to).
Ds (Don't Suballocate)	Prevent an individual file from being suballocated, even if suballocation is enabled for the system. Use on files that are enlarged or appended to frequently, such as database files.
H (Hidden)	Prevent a filename from being displayed with the DOS DIR command. The file cannot be copied or deleted.
Ic (Immediate compress)	Compress a file as soon as the operating system can.
N (Normal)	Specify the Rw attribute.
P (Purge)	Purge a file immediately if the file is deleted.
Ri (Rename Inhibit)	Prevent a file from being renamed.
Ro (Read Only)	Allow a file only to be read; it cannot be written to or deleted (in other words, Ro includes Ri and Di).
Rw (Read Write)	Allow a file to be read and written to.
Sh (Shareable)	Allow a file to be used by several users simultaneously.
Sy (System)	Prevent a filename from being displayed with the DOS DIR command. It cannot be copied or deleted.
T (Transactional)	Protect a file by using the Transaction Tracking System™ .
X (Execute Only)	Prevent a file from being copied or copied over. This attribute can be assigned only to .EXE or .COM files. You cannot remove the Execute Only attribute. You must delete the file and then re-install it.

Search Modes for Executable Files

The syntax is Syntax: /M=mode Replace mode with a mode number from the following table.

Mode	Use to
0	Search for instructions in the NET.CFG file (the default mode).
1	Search the path specified in the file. If there is no path, the file searches the default directory, and then all search drives.
2	Search the path specified in the file. If there is no path, the file searches only the default directory.
3	Search the path specified in the file. If there is no path, the file searches the default directory; then if the open request is read only, the file searches the search drives.
4	Reserved; do not use.
5	Search the path specified and then all search drives. If there is no path, the file searches the default directory and then all search drives.
6	Reserved; do not use.
7	First search the path specified. If the open request is read only, the file searches the search drives. If there is no path, the file searches the default directory and then all search drives.

Status Flags

Status	Indicates (isn't modifiable by user)
Cc (Can't Compress)	The file cannot be compressed because of limited space savings.
Co (Compressed)	The file has been compressed.
M (Migrated)	The file has been migrated.

Using FLAG

You can use wildcard characters.

Examples

To	Type
Add Rw and Ic and remove Di and A from files in the directory	FLAG . +R W Ic -Di A
View attributes for file STUDENTS in directory SYS:\COURSE\WINTER	FLAG SYS:\COURSE\WINTER \STUDENTS
Give files in drive G: the Hidden attribute	FLAG G:. H /FO
Set the search mode to 7 for executable files in the directory	FLAG . /M=7
Set the search mode to 1 and assign files in the directory the Read Write attribute	FLAG . RW /M=1

Additional Information

Topic	See
Search modes	"Search modes" in Concepts
Directory attributes File attributes Hidden attribute System directory	"Attributes" in Concepts

FLAG

Technical documentation

» Table of Contents

» Index

Purpose

Syntax

FLAG Options

<Directory Attributes

File Attributes

Search Modes for Executable Files

Status Flags

Using FLAG

Examples

Additional Information