OS File Attributes
Q.1: What is the significance of file attributes in an operating system?
Answer:
File attributes provide extra information about the file itself. This information such as author name, file creation date and time, file size, etc. is very essential as they help users and OS to use the files effectively. File attributes make user’s life easy because with the help of these attributes user can retrieve the files very easily.
Q.2: Can file attributes change over time?
Answer:
Yes, file attributes can change. There are some dynamic file attributes such as last modified date and time, name of user who modified the file, file size, etc. These and other attributes can change over time as per the requirement. For example, if we add some data to file, file size can increase. However, there are some static attributes that cannot change.
Q.3: How do file attributes provide security?
Answer:
File attributes play essential role in security of file. Attributes related to access control and permissions allow only authorized users to view and modify the file. This guarantees the protection of sensitive and private data in the file.
Q.4: Are file attributes the same across all operating systems?
Answer:
No, file attributes vary from operating system to operating system. All operating systems may provide some common attributes but some attributes can change. For example, one OS may provide the timestamp attribute while other may not.
File Attributes in OS
Storing data is an essential component of using computers. We all store data in files. Whatever the type of files may be, we use files daily. While using files you also may have come across the ‘file attributes’. They are nothing but the characteristics of the file itself. File Attributes is an essential topic in Operating Systems. In this article, file, and file attributes are discussed.