Each file has attributes, each of which defines a single characteristic of the file that can be either set or reset. Most file processing commands allow you to select files for processing based on their attributes. The basic attributes Archive, Read only, Hidden, System, and Directory are present on all disk volumes. NTFS volumes support additional attributes: Encrypted, Compressed, Normal, Offline, Temporary, Not content-indexed, Sparse, Junction / Symbolic Link / Reparse point, No Scrub, and Integrity. Take Command fully supports these extended attributes.

 

Archive - set by the operating system when the contents of the file are modified to indicate that it is a candidate to be archived, i.e., to be backed up. The attribute can be reset by any program to indicate that the file's contents have been archived. Most programs which can unset this attribute require that you use the explicit reset option, and default to retaining the status of this attribute. For example, the TCC command COPY requires the /X option to reset this attribute.

 

Read-only - if this attribute is set, the file can't be changed or erased accidentally. Most programs honor this attribute by default, which helps to  protect important files from erasure and damage.

 

Either of the Hidden and System attributes, when set, prevent the file from appearing in directory listings and file searches, including those performed by file processing command of Take Command, unless explicitly requested.. This both protects such files from accidental modification, and also speeds up user tasks not explicitly intended to process them.

 

Directory - this attribute is set by the operating system when a subdirectory is created, e.g., by the MKDIR command. The attribute cannot be reset. The operating system restricts all accesses to a directory file to directory manipulation operations.

 

Volume label - a special attribute of at most one directory entry in the root directory of a disk drive. The entry can be created, modified, or deleted only through the Windows utility LABEL (or equivalent third-party software). Take Command does not directly modify the volume label or any of its attributes, and provide read access only through the VOL command and the @LABEL[] variable function. All other commands ignore this directory entry.

 

Normal - this pseudo attribute is considered to be set if all other attributes (including the extended attributes available only on an NTFS volumes) are reset. It is not stored by the file system. When Take Command checks file attributes, it considers the Normal attribute as set if each of the other attributes is either reset, or unsupported by  the combination of the file system and operating system.

 

The file attributes can also be accessed with the ATTRIB and DIR commands, and by the @ATTRIB and @WATTRIB variable functions.

 

Attributes can be set, reset, and viewed with the ATTRIB command. The DIR command also has options to view the attribute status of files, and to view information about normally invisible hidden and system files and directories.