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 keywords are currently defined:

arch
    set the archived flag (super-user only)
opaque
    set the opaque flag (owner or super-user only)
nodump
    set the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)
sappnd
    set the system append-only flag (super-user only)
schg
    set the system immutable flag (super-user only)
sunlnk
    set the system undeletable flag (super-user only)
uappnd
    set the user append-only flag (owner or super-user only)
uchg
    set the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
uunlnk
    set the user undeletable flag (owner or super-user only)
archived, sappend, schange,
    simmutable, uappend, uchange, uimmutable, sunlink, uunlink aliases for the above

Putting the letters “no” before an option causes the flag to be turned off. For example:

nouchg
    the immutable bit should be cleared

Symbolic links do not have flags, so unless the -H or -L option is set, 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.

DIAGNOSTICS

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

HISTORY
The chflags command first appeared in 4.4BSD.