Windows SDK File System: How to check for the existance of a directory/file?

[Andreas Masur]

Q: How to check for the existance of a directory/file?

A:

CString szPath("c:\\windows");
CString szFile("c:\\test.txt");

DWORD dwAttr = GetFileAttributes(szPath);
if(dwAttr == 0xffffffff)
{
  DWORD dwError = GetLastError();
  if(dwError == ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)
  {
    // file not found
  }
  else if(dwError == ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND)
  {
    // path not found
  }
  else if(dwError == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED)
  {
    // file or directory exists, but access is denied
  }
  else
  {
    // some other error has occured
  }
}
else
{
  if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY)
  {
    // this is a directory
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE)
      // Directory is archive file
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_COMPRESSED)
      // Directory is compressed
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ENCRYPTED)
      // Directory is encrypted
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN)
      // Directory is hidden
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY)
      // Directory is read-only
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT)
      // Directory has an associated reparse point
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM)
      // Directory is part or used exclusively by the operating system
  }
  else
  {
    // this is an ordinary file
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE)
      // File is archive file
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_COMPRESSED)
      // File is compressed
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ENCRYPTED)
      // File is encrypted
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN)
      // File is hidden
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NOT_CONTENT_INDEXED)
      // File will not be indexed
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_OFFLINE)
      // Data of file is not immediately available
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY)
      // File is read-only
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT)
      // File has an associated reparse point
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE)
      // File is a sparse file
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM)
      // File is part or used exclusively by the operating system
    if(dwAttr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_TEMPORARY)
      // File is being used for temporary storage
  }
}