File Attributes
 
                    Bit              Hex       Description
              7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
              . . . . . . . 1        01        Read-only
              . . . . . . 1 .        02        Hidden
              . . . . . 1 . .        04        System
              . . . . 1 . . .        08        Volume label
              . . . 1 . . . .        10        Directory
              . . 1 . . . . .        20        Archive
 
       Read-only      Files that are marked as read-only can be read, but
                      not altered.  Attempts to open read-only files for
                      output, or to create a file with the same name,
                      result in an error.  Read-only files do appear in
                      normal directory searches, however.
 
       Hidden         Hidden files do not appear in DOS's directory
                      listings, nor do they appear in normal file
                      searches.
 
       System         Marks files that are used by the system, such as
                      IBMBIO.COM and IBMSYS.COM.  Such files do not appear
                      in normal file searches.
 
       Volume label   Used for the 11-character volume label on a disk.
                      All other information in a volume label's directory
                      entry is ignored.  Volume labels are not files, per
                      se--they use one entry in the directory, but have no
                      additional data.
 
       Directory      The directory entry refers to a subdirectory.
                      Subdirectories are normally excluded from file
                      searches.
 
       Archive        This bit, when set, indicates that the file has been
                      changed since the last time it was backed up.  This
                      bit is set whenever a file is written to and then
                      closed.
 
       Bits 6, 7      These bits are reserved for future use and must be
                      set to 0.
 
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       Notes:         File searches with the search attribute set to 0
                      will find all files with no attribute, or files with
                      the read-only and/or archive attribute set.
 
                      The directory and volume-label bits cannot be
                      changed using the CHMOD function (43h) DOS call.