This manual page is for Mac OS X version 10.6.3

Reading manual pages

CHFLAGS(1)                               BSD General Commands Manual                              CHFLAGS(1)

NAME
     chflags -- change file flags

SYNOPSIS
     chflags [-R [-H | -L | -P]] flags file ...

DESCRIPTION
     The chflags utility modifies the file flags of the listed files as specified by the flags operand.

     The options are as follows:

     -H      If the -R option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed.  (Symbolic
             links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)

     -L      If the -R option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.

     -P      If the -R option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.  This is the default.

     -R      Change the file flags for the file hierarchies rooted in the files instead of just the files
             themselves.

     The flags are specified as an octal number or a comma separated list of keywords.  The following key-words keywords
     words are currently defined:

           arch, archived
                   set the archived flag (super-user only)

           opaque  set the opaque flag (owner or super-user only).  [Directory is opaque when viewed through
                   a union mount]

           nodump  set the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)

           sappnd, sappend
                   set the system append-only flag (super-user only)

           schg, schange, simmutable
                   set the system immutable flag (super-user only)

           uappnd, uappend
                   set the user append-only flag (owner or super-user only)

           uchg, uchange, uimmutable
                   set the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)

           hidden  set the hidden flag [Hide item from GUI]

     As discussed in chflags(2), the sappnd and schg flags may only be unset when the system is in single-user singleuser
     user mode.

     Putting the letters ``no'' before or removing the letters ``no'' from a keyword causes the flag to be
     cleared.  For example:

           nouchg  clear the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
           dump    clear the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)

     Unless the -H or -L options are given, chflags on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect.
     The -H, -L and -P options are ignored unless the -R option is specified.  In addition, these options
     override each other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.

     You can use "ls -lO" to see the flags of existing files.

EXIT STATUS
     The chflags utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

SEE ALSO
     ls(1), chflags(2), stat(2), fts(3), symlink(7)

HISTORY
     The chflags command first appeared in 4.4BSD.

BUGS
     Only a limited number of utilities are chflags aware.  Some of these tools include ls(1), cp(1),
     find(1), install(1), dump(8), and restore(8).  In particular a tool which is not currently chflags
     aware is the pax(1) utility.

BSD                                             May 14, 2005                                             BSD