flistxattr - Linux
Overview
flistxattr is a command-line tool used to list extended attributes associated with a file or directory in Linux. Extended attributes are user-defined metadata attached to a file beyond its basic properties like file size, permissions, and timestamps. They provide a way to store additional information about files.
Syntax
flistxattr [-v] [-f] [-r] [-l] [--recursive] [-h|--help] [-V|--version] [path]...
Options/Flags
- -v, –verbose: Display additional information about extended attributes, including their size and value.
- -f, –follow: Follow symbolic links and list extended attributes from the target file or directory.
- -r, –recursive: Recursively list extended attributes from the specified directory and all its subdirectories.
- -l, –long: Display extended attributes in a long format, showing additional information such as their size and value in human-readable form.
- –recursive: Same as -r.
- -h, –help: Display help information.
- -V, –version: Display version information.
Examples
List extended attributes for a single file:
flistxattr file.txt
Follow symbolic links and list extended attributes:
flistxattr -f link
Recursively list extended attributes for a directory:
flistxattr -r dir
Display extended attributes in long format:
flistxattr -l file.txt
Common Issues
- Errors with non-existent files: If you try to list extended attributes for a non-existent file or directory, flistxattr will return an error.
- Permission denied: You must have read permissions to list extended attributes. If you don’t have sufficient permissions, flistxattr will report an error.
Integration
flistxattr can be used with other commands to manipulate and view extended attributes:
- setfattr: Set a new extended attribute.
- getfattr: Retrieve the value of a specific extended attribute.
- delfattr: Delete an extended attribute.
- find: Search files with specific extended attributes.