Get the file attributes for files in an HFS+ directory.
Syntax
GetFileInfo [-a attributes] [-c creator] [-d date]
[-m date] [-t type] file ...
Options
-a attributes
Get the file attribute bits where attributes is a string of case sensitive
letters. Each letter corresponds to a file attribute:
an uppercase letter indicates that the attribute bit is set (1),
a lowercase letter indicates that it is not (0).
A | a Alias file
B | b Has bundle
C | c Custom icon (allowed on folders)
D | d Located on the desktop (allowed on folders)
E | e Extension is hidden (allowed on folders)
I | i Inited - Finder is aware of this file and has
given it a location in a window. (allowed on
folders)
L | l Locked
M | m Shared (can run multiple times)
N | n File has no INIT resource
S | s System file (name locked)
T | t "Stationery Pad" file
V | v Invisible (allowed on folders)
-c creator
The file’s creator, where creator is a string of exactly 4 characters.
-d date
Get the creation date, where date is a string of the form:
"mm/dd/[yy]yy [hh:mm:[:ss] [AM | PM]]"
Notes:
Enclose the string in quotation marks if it contains spaces.
Period '.' represents the current date and time.
[yy]yy < 100 assumes 21th century, e.g.20yy.
-m date
Get the modification date where date is a string of the form in -d above.
(mm/dd/[yy]yy [hh:mm:[:ss] [AM | PM]])
-t type
Get the file type, where type is a string of exactly four characters.
GetFileInfo is part of /Developer/Tools/
Return Values
0 - attributes read
1 - syntax error
2 - any other error
Get and print the creator for the "Late Breaking News" file:
GetFileInfo -c "Late Breaking News"
Print the modification date of "myFile":
GetFileInfo -m myFile
“The more the merrier” ~ John Heywood
Local man page: getfileinfo - Command line help page on your local machine.
chflags - Change a file or folder’s flags.
setfile - Set attributes of HFS+ files.
textutil - Manipulate text files in various formats.