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Alternate Data Stream

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NTFS supports the concept of File Stream. Not many applications support NTFS file stream though.

In Vista. dir now can display NTFS file stream (where it calls it "Alternate Data Stream").

E:\demo>ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.5370]

E:\demo>dir /?
Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.

DIR [drive:][path][filename] [/A[[:]attributes]] [/B] [/C] [/D] [/L] [/N]
[/O[[:]sortorder]] [/P] [/Q] [/R] [/S] [/T[[:]timefield]] [/W] [/X] [/4]

  [drive:][path][filename]
Specifies drive, directory, and/or files to list.

  /A Displays files with specified attributes.
attributes D Directories R Read-only files
H Hidden files A Files ready for archiving
S System files - Prefix meaning not
/B Uses bare format (no heading information or summary).
/C Display the thousand separator in file sizes. This is the
default. Use /-C to disable display of separator.
/D Same as wide but files are list sorted by column.
/L Uses lowercase.
/N New long list format where filenames are on the far right.
/O List by files in sorted order.
sortorder N By name (alphabetic) S By size (smallest first)
E By extension (alphabetic) D By date/time (oldest first)
G Group directories first - Prefix to reverse order
/P Pauses after each screenful of information.
/Q Display the owner of the file.
/R Display alternate data streams of the file.
/S Displays files in specified directory and all subdirectories.
/T Controls which time field displayed or used for sorting
timefield C Creation
A Last Access
W Last Written
/W Uses wide list format.
/X This displays the short names generated for non-8dot3 file
names. The format is that of /N with the short name inserted
before the long name. If no short name is present, blanks are
displayed in its place.
/4 Displays four-digit years

Switches may be preset in the DIRCMD environment variable. Override
preset switches by prefixing any switch with - (hyphen)--for example, /-W.

E:\demo>dir /r
 Volume in drive E has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 50D6-414C

 Directory of E:\demo

04/20/2006 06:19 PM <DIR> .
04/20/2006 06:19 PM <DIR> ..
03/15/2006 03:15 PM 275,340 1.txt
04/20/2006 06:19 PM 14 2.txt
2 File(s) 275,354 bytes
2 Dir(s) 11,818,872,832 bytes free

E:\demo>more 1.txt >2.txt:foo

E:\demo>dir /r
 Volume in drive E has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 50D6-414C

 Directory of E:\demo

04/20/2006 06:19 PM <DIR> .
04/20/2006 06:19 PM <DIR> ..
03/15/2006 03:15 PM 275,340 1.txt
04/20/2006 06:19 PM 14 2.txt
294,415 2.txt:foo:$DATA
2 File(s) 275,354 bytes
2 Dir(s) 11,818,577,920 bytes free

Comments

  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2006
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2006
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    May 12, 2006
    I believe that the December 2005 refresh of WinFS beta1 actually destroys alternate data streams, when files are placed into a WinFS store -isn't that so?
  • Anonymous
    May 13, 2006
    Hi,

    cool that Vista dir the ADS!

    Yes WinFS beta1 destroys ADS when copied in a stored and this without any warning ...as it is the case when copied to FAT.

    Regards
    Marc Ochsenmeier
    www.propagating.net
  • Anonymous
    May 18, 2006
    Why is the term "Alternate Data Stream" being retained, an alternate to what, or to put it another way with what does it alternate.  

    Why not "Additional Data Stream". The best term would be "Named Stream", all streams are potential carriers of data (they can be empty, hence the potentiality), even ObjectId and SecurityId streams have data in them, without which services such as DLS etc don't work as intended.

    What distinguishes a "so-called" ADS from other streams is that it has a Name!!!

    Rgds PhilD
  • Anonymous
    May 18, 2006
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    May 31, 2009
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