compact1, compact2, compact3
java.nio.file.attribute

## Interface DosFileAttributeView

- All Superinterfaces:
    AttributeView, BasicFileAttributeView, FileAttributeView

      public interface DosFileAttributeView
      extends BasicFileAttributeView

  A file attribute view that provides a view of the legacy "DOS" file attributes. These attributes are supported by file systems such as the File Allocation Table (FAT) format commonly used in consumer devices.

  A `DosFileAttributeView` is a `BasicFileAttributeView` that additionally supports access to the set of DOS attribute flags that are used to indicate if the file is read-only, hidden, a system file, or archived.

  Where dynamic access to file attributes is required, the attributes supported by this attribute view are as defined by `BasicFileAttributeView`, and in addition, the following attributes are supported:

  > Name | Type
  > --- | ---
  > readonly | `Boolean`
  > hidden | `Boolean`
  > system | `Boolean`
  > archive | `Boolean`

  The `getAttribute` method may be used to read any of these attributes, or any of the attributes defined by `BasicFileAttributeView` as if by invoking the `readAttributes()` method.

  The `setAttribute` method may be used to update the file's last modified time, last access time or create time attributes as defined by `BasicFileAttributeView`. It may also be used to update the DOS attributes as if by invoking the `setReadOnly`, `setHidden`, `setSystem`, and `setArchive` methods respectively.

  Since:
    1.7

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `String` | `name()` | Returns the name of the attribute view.
    `DosFileAttributes` | `readAttributes()` | Reads the basic file attributes as a bulk operation.
    `void` | `setArchive(boolean value)` | Updates the value of the archive attribute.
    `void` | `setHidden(boolean value)` | Updates the value of the hidden attribute.
    `void` | `setReadOnly(boolean value)` | Updates the value of the read-only attribute.
    `void` | `setSystem(boolean value)` | Updates the value of the system attribute.

    - ### Methods inherited from interface java.nio.file.attribute.BasicFileAttributeView

      `setTimes`

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### name

          String name()

      Returns the name of the attribute view. Attribute views of this type have the name `"dos"`.
      Specified by:
        `name` in interface `AttributeView`
      Specified by:
        `name` in interface `BasicFileAttributeView`
      Returns:
        the name of the attribute view

    - #### readAttributes

          DosFileAttributes readAttributes()
                                    throws IOException

      Description copied from interface: `BasicFileAttributeView`
      Reads the basic file attributes as a bulk operation.

      It is implementation specific if all file attributes are read as an atomic operation with respect to other file system operations.

      Specified by:
        `readAttributes` in interface `BasicFileAttributeView`
      Returns:
        the file attributes
      Throws:
        `IOException` - if an I/O error occurs
        `SecurityException` - In the case of the default provider, a security manager is installed, its `checkRead` method is invoked to check read access to the file

    - #### setReadOnly

          void setReadOnly(boolean value)
                    throws IOException

      Updates the value of the read-only attribute.

      It is implementation specific if the attribute can be updated as an atomic operation with respect to other file system operations. An implementation may, for example, require to read the existing value of the DOS attribute in order to update this attribute.

      Parameters:
        `value` - the new value of the attribute
      Throws:
        `IOException` - if an I/O error occurs
        `SecurityException` - In the case of the default, and a security manager is installed, its `checkWrite` method is invoked to check write access to the file

    - #### setHidden

          void setHidden(boolean value)
                  throws IOException

      Updates the value of the hidden attribute.

      It is implementation specific if the attribute can be updated as an atomic operation with respect to other file system operations. An implementation may, for example, require to read the existing value of the DOS attribute in order to update this attribute.

      Parameters:
        `value` - the new value of the attribute
      Throws:
        `IOException` - if an I/O error occurs
        `SecurityException` - In the case of the default, and a security manager is installed, its `checkWrite` method is invoked to check write access to the file

    - #### setSystem

          void setSystem(boolean value)
                  throws IOException

      Updates the value of the system attribute.

      It is implementation specific if the attribute can be updated as an atomic operation with respect to other file system operations. An implementation may, for example, require to read the existing value of the DOS attribute in order to update this attribute.

      Parameters:
        `value` - the new value of the attribute
      Throws:
        `IOException` - if an I/O error occurs
        `SecurityException` - In the case of the default, and a security manager is installed, its `checkWrite` method is invoked to check write access to the file

    - #### setArchive

          void setArchive(boolean value)
                   throws IOException

      Updates the value of the archive attribute.

      It is implementation specific if the attribute can be updated as an atomic operation with respect to other file system operations. An implementation may, for example, require to read the existing value of the DOS attribute in order to update this attribute.

      Parameters:
        `value` - the new value of the attribute
      Throws:
        `IOException` - if an I/O error occurs
        `SecurityException` - In the case of the default, and a security manager is installed, its `checkWrite` method is invoked to check write access to the file

Submit a bug or feature
For further API reference and developer documentation, see Java SE Documentation. That documentation contains more detailed, developer-targeted descriptions, with conceptual overviews, definitions of terms, workarounds, and working code examples.
Copyright © 1993, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Use is subject to license terms. Also see the documentation redistribution policy.