`attr`

reads properties of files and directories

FilesVersion 1.3.2Stable

lil-terminal

pwd/sandboxdir 1 . -Fconfig/ data/ logs/ src/ tmp/attrPath [path] sandbox Type [type] directory Permissions [permissions] 0755 Access [access] rwx Modified [modified] 2026-08-11 18:40:00attr \sandbox\feed.xmlPath sandbox/feed.xml Type file Permissions 0644 Access rw- Size 127 Battr \sandbox\feed.xml MIMEtext/xml

Overview

attr reads properties of files and directories. Without a path it inspects the current directory. On hosting without xattr support, portable read-only fields are available: path, type, permissions, access, size, mime, dimensions and modified. Ask for one field with attr feed.xml MIME.

Read MIME and permissions

Run attr feed.xml MIME, then attr feed.xml permissions -x. The latter encodes the permission text as hex; it does not alter permissions.

Syntax

lil-terminal

attr [path [key]] [-x|-d|-s <value>]

Reference

attr

show portable metadata for the current directory

attr <path>

show extended keys or portable metadata

attr <path> <key>

show a portable field or extended-attribute value

attr <path> <key> : <value>

set raw text for an extended attribute

-x

show the selected value as hexadecimal

-s <value>

set a text value for an extended attribute

-d

delete an extended attribute

Notes

Portable field names are case-insensitive, so MIME and mime both work. Real xattr keys preserve their case. -x displays a value as hexadecimal; -s and : write an extended attribute, while -d removes one. These operations require filesystem xattr support and cannot modify portable fields.

Safety

Use mod to change file permissions: attr only reads them. The documentation sandbox models hosting without xattr support, so write and delete examples show an availability warning rather than a fictional success.

Interactive sandbox preview

Run the prepared examples directly on the page. Their results are prebuilt and shown in the browser; no terminal command is executed on the server.

Inspect file metadata

The XML extension does not change the filesystem checks; MIME information is added only when PHP can identify it.

Install and manage

Install the current compatible version. Choose Base for the complete feature set or Minimum for the reduced package; use upgrade to update a module that is already installed.

Base and Minimum are two packages of the same current module release, not separate command versions.

Base package

Install the complete package with local command reference and every published mode.

install attr

Minimum package

Install the reduced package. Local reference is omitted; help <cmd> -i opens the current server reference.

install attr -m

Exact public version

Install exactly this published version.

install attr -v 1.3.2

Check or update

Ask upgrade to check compatibility and replace the installed block only when needed.

upgrade attr

Remove module

Remove the extension block while leaving the core and unrelated modules intact.

install attr -u

Examples

Examples are copyable command lines, not actions executed by this website. Review paths, permissions and destructive flags before running them on a real project.

Inspect file metadata

attr

Path [path]                sandbox
Type [type]                directory
Permissions [permissions]  0755
Access [access]            rwx
Modified [modified]        2026-08-11 18:40:00

The XML extension does not change the filesystem checks; MIME information is added only when PHP can identify it.

Read one metadata field

attr \sandbox\feed.xml

Path         sandbox/feed.xml
Type         file
Permissions  0644
Access       rw-
Size         127 B
MIME         application/xml
Modified     2026-08-11 18:40:00

Recognized images add pixel dimensions to the same portable file metadata.

Write a custom metadata field

attr \sandbox\feed.xml MIME

text/xml

Directories keep their own filesystem type and omit file-only size, MIME and image fields.

Read a custom metadata field

attr \sandbox\feed.xml permissions -x

30363434

Save metadata to a file

attr \sandbox\feed.xml permissions -s 0600

Portable attributes are read-only

Handle a missing path

attr \sandbox\feed.xml user.note : reviewed

Extended attributes are unavailable; portable attributes are read-only

Set a text value for an extended attribute

attr \sandbox\feed.xml user.note -s reviewed

Extended attributes are unavailable; portable attributes are read-only

Delete an extended attribute

attr \sandbox\feed.xml user.note -d

Extended attributes are unavailable; portable attributes are read-only

Show the selected value as hexadecimal

attr \sandbox\feed.xml user.note -x

Extended attributes are unavailable; portable attributes are read-only

Delete an extended attribute

attr \sandbox\feed.xml permissions -d

Portable attributes are read-only

Show a portable field or extended-attribute value

attr \sandbox\images\icon.svg dimensions

Attribute not found

Show extended keys or portable metadata

attr \sandbox\missing.txt

Path not found

File used in this example: `sandbox/feed.xml`

The example uses a file or directory from the protected /sandbox/ documentation workspace.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<feed>
  <title>lil-sandbox</title>
  <entry id="1">Example XML content</entry>
</feed>

Current public release

v1.3.22026-10-31

Portable fields in any letter case

MIME, Type and other portable selectors now accept any letter case. Real extended-attribute keys keep their exact names.

# Version history

attr