DirectoryInfo.SetAccessControl(DirectorySecurity) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System.IO

Assembly:

mscorlib.dll

Applies access control list (ACL) entries described by a DirectorySecurity object to the directory described by the current DirectoryInfo object.

public:
 void SetAccessControl(System::Security::AccessControl::DirectorySecurity ^ directorySecurity);

public void SetAccessControl (System.Security.AccessControl.DirectorySecurity directorySecurity);

member this.SetAccessControl : System.Security.AccessControl.DirectorySecurity -> unit

Public Sub SetAccessControl (directorySecurity As DirectorySecurity)

Parameters

directorySecurity

DirectorySecurity

An object that describes an ACL entry to apply to the directory described by the path parameter.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

The directorySecurity parameter is null.

SystemException

The file could not be found or modified.

UnauthorizedAccessException

The current process does not have access to open the file.

Examples

The following example uses the GetAccessControl and SetAccessControl methods to add and then remove an access control list (ACL) entry from a directory.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Security::AccessControl;

// Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the
// specified account.
void AddDirectorySecurity(String^ directoryName, String^ account, 
     FileSystemRights rights, AccessControlType controlType)
{
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    DirectoryInfo^ dInfo = gcnew DirectoryInfo(directoryName);

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    DirectorySecurity^ dSecurity = dInfo->GetAccessControl();

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity->AddAccessRule( gcnew FileSystemAccessRule(account,
        rights, controlType));

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo->SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
}

// Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the
// specified account.
void RemoveDirectorySecurity(String^ directoryName, String^ account,
     FileSystemRights rights, AccessControlType controlType)
{
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    DirectoryInfo^ dInfo = gcnew DirectoryInfo(directoryName);

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    DirectorySecurity^ dSecurity = dInfo->GetAccessControl();

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity->RemoveAccessRule(gcnew FileSystemAccessRule(account,
        rights, controlType));

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo->SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
}    

int main()
{
    String^ directoryName = "TestDirectory";
    String^ accountName = "MYDOMAIN\\MyAccount";
    if (!Directory::Exists(directoryName))
    {
        Console::WriteLine("The directory {0} could not be found.", 
            directoryName);
        return 0;
    }
    try
    {
        Console::WriteLine("Adding access control entry for {0}",
            directoryName);

        // Add the access control entry to the directory.
        AddDirectorySecurity(directoryName, accountName,
            FileSystemRights::ReadData, AccessControlType::Allow);

        Console::WriteLine("Removing access control entry from {0}",
            directoryName);

        // Remove the access control entry from the directory.
        RemoveDirectorySecurity(directoryName, accountName, 
            FileSystemRights::ReadData, AccessControlType::Allow);

        Console::WriteLine("Done.");
    }
    catch (UnauthorizedAccessException^)
    {
        Console::WriteLine("You are not authorised to carry" +
            " out this procedure.");
    }
    catch (System::Security::Principal::
        IdentityNotMappedException^)
    {
        Console::WriteLine("The account {0} could not be found.", accountName);
    }
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Security.AccessControl;

namespace FileSystemExample
{
    class DirectoryExample
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
            try
            {
                string DirectoryName = "TestDirectory";

                Console.WriteLine("Adding access control entry for " + DirectoryName);

                // Add the access control entry to the directory.
                AddDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow);

                Console.WriteLine("Removing access control entry from " + DirectoryName);

                // Remove the access control entry from the directory.
                RemoveDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow);

                Console.WriteLine("Done.");
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(e);
            }

            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        // Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
        public static void AddDirectorySecurity(
            string DirectoryName,
            string Account,
            FileSystemRights Rights,
            AccessControlType ControlType
            )
        {
            // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
            DirectoryInfo dInfo = new(DirectoryName);

            // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
            // current security settings.
            DirectorySecurity dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl();

            // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
            dSecurity.AddAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(Account,
                                                            Rights,
                                                            ControlType));

            // Set the new access settings.
            dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
        }

        // Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
        public static void RemoveDirectorySecurity(
            string DirectoryName,
            string Account,
            FileSystemRights Rights,
            AccessControlType ControlType
            )
        {
            // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
            DirectoryInfo dInfo = new(DirectoryName);

            // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
            // current security settings.
            DirectorySecurity dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl();

            // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
            dSecurity.RemoveAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(Account,
                                                            Rights,
                                                            ControlType));

            // Set the new access settings.
            dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
        }
    }
}

open System
open System.IO
open System.Security.AccessControl

// Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
let addDirectorySecurity fileName (account: string) rights controlType =
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    let dInfo = DirectoryInfo fileName

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    let dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity.AddAccessRule(FileSystemAccessRule(account, rights, controlType))

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo.SetAccessControl dSecurity

// Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
let removeDirectorySecurity fileName (account: string) rights controlType =
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    let dInfo = DirectoryInfo fileName

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    let dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity.RemoveAccessRule(FileSystemAccessRule(account, rights, controlType)) |> ignore

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo.SetAccessControl dSecurity

try
    let DirectoryName = "TestDirectory"

    printfn $"Adding access control entry for {DirectoryName}"

    // Add the access control entry to the directory.
    addDirectorySecurity DirectoryName @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount" FileSystemRights.ReadData AccessControlType.Allow

    printfn $"Removing access control entry from {DirectoryName}"

    // Remove the access control entry from the directory.
    removeDirectorySecurity DirectoryName @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount" FileSystemRights.ReadData AccessControlType.Allow

    printfn "Done."
with e ->
    printfn $"{e}"

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Security.AccessControl



Module DirectoryExample

    Sub Main()
        Try
            Dim DirectoryName As String = "TestDirectory"

            Console.WriteLine("Adding access control entry for " + DirectoryName)

            ' Add the access control entry to the directory.
            AddDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, "MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow)

            Console.WriteLine("Removing access control entry from " + DirectoryName)

            ' Remove the access control entry from the directory.
            RemoveDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, "MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow)

            Console.WriteLine("Done.")
        Catch e As Exception
            Console.WriteLine(e)
        End Try

        Console.ReadLine()

    End Sub


    ' Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
    Sub AddDirectorySecurity(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal Account As String, ByVal Rights As FileSystemRights, ByVal ControlType As AccessControlType)
        ' Create a new DirectoryInfoobject.
        Dim dInfo As New DirectoryInfo(FileName)

        ' Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
        ' current security settings.
        Dim dSecurity As DirectorySecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

        ' Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
        dSecurity.AddAccessRule(New FileSystemAccessRule(Account, Rights, ControlType))

        ' Set the new access settings.
        dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity)

    End Sub


    ' Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
    Sub RemoveDirectorySecurity(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal Account As String, ByVal Rights As FileSystemRights, ByVal ControlType As AccessControlType)
        ' Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
        Dim dInfo As New DirectoryInfo(FileName)

        ' Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
        ' current security settings.
        Dim dSecurity As DirectorySecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

        ' Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
        dSecurity.RemoveAccessRule(New FileSystemAccessRule(Account, Rights, ControlType))

        ' Set the new access settings.
        dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity)

    End Sub
End Module

Remarks

An access control list (ACL) describes individuals and groups who have, or don't have, rights to specific actions on the given file or directory. For more information, see How to: Add or Remove Access Control List Entries.

The SetAccessControl method applies ACL entries to a file that represents the noninherited ACL list.

Caution

The ACL specified for directorySecurity replaces the existing ACL for the directory. To add permissions for a new user, use the GetAccessControl method to obtain the existing ACL, and modify it.

The SetAccessControl method persists only DirectorySecurity objects that have been modified after object creation. If a DirectorySecurity object has not been modified, it will not be persisted to a file. Therefore, it is not possible to retrieve a DirectorySecurity object from one file and reapply the same object to another file.

To copy ACL information from one file to another:

1. Use the GetAccessControl method to retrieve the DirectorySecurity object from the source file.

2. Create a new DirectorySecurity object for the destination file.

3. Use the GetSecurityDescriptorBinaryForm or GetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm method of the source DirectorySecurity object to retrieve the ACL information.

4. Use the SetSecurityDescriptorBinaryForm or SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm method to copy the information retrieved in step 3 to the destination DirectorySecurity object.

5. Set the destination DirectorySecurity object to the destination file using the SetAccessControl method.