pub struct Metadata(_);
Expand description

Metadata information about a file.

This structure is returned from the metadata or symlink_metadata function or method and represents known metadata about a file such as its permissions, size, modification times, etc.

Implementations

Returns the file type for this metadata.

Examples
fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    use std::fs;

    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    println!("{:?}", metadata.file_type());
    Ok(())
}

Returns true if this metadata is for a directory. The result is mutually exclusive to the result of Metadata::is_file, and will be false for symlink metadata obtained from symlink_metadata.

Examples
fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    use std::fs;

    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    assert!(!metadata.is_dir());
    Ok(())
}

Returns true if this metadata is for a regular file. The result is mutually exclusive to the result of Metadata::is_dir, and will be false for symlink metadata obtained from symlink_metadata.

When the goal is simply to read from (or write to) the source, the most reliable way to test the source can be read (or written to) is to open it. Only using is_file can break workflows like diff <( prog_a ) on a Unix-like system for example. See File::open or OpenOptions::open for more information.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    assert!(metadata.is_file());
    Ok(())
}

Returns true if this metadata is for a symbolic link.

Examples
use std::fs;
use std::path::Path;
use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let link_path = Path::new("link");
    symlink("/origin_does_not_exist/", link_path)?;

    let metadata = fs::symlink_metadata(link_path)?;

    assert!(metadata.is_symlink());
    Ok(())
}

Returns the size of the file, in bytes, this metadata is for.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    assert_eq!(0, metadata.len());
    Ok(())
}

Returns the permissions of the file this metadata is for.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    assert!(!metadata.permissions().readonly());
    Ok(())
}

Returns the last modification time listed in this metadata.

The returned value corresponds to the mtime field of stat on Unix platforms and the ftLastWriteTime field on Windows platforms.

Errors

This field might not be available on all platforms, and will return an Err on platforms where it is not available.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    if let Ok(time) = metadata.modified() {
        println!("{time:?}");
    } else {
        println!("Not supported on this platform");
    }
    Ok(())
}

Returns the last access time of this metadata.

The returned value corresponds to the atime field of stat on Unix platforms and the ftLastAccessTime field on Windows platforms.

Note that not all platforms will keep this field update in a file’s metadata, for example Windows has an option to disable updating this time when files are accessed and Linux similarly has noatime.

Errors

This field might not be available on all platforms, and will return an Err on platforms where it is not available.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    if let Ok(time) = metadata.accessed() {
        println!("{time:?}");
    } else {
        println!("Not supported on this platform");
    }
    Ok(())
}

Returns the creation time listed in this metadata.

The returned value corresponds to the btime field of statx on Linux kernel starting from to 4.11, the birthtime field of stat on other Unix platforms, and the ftCreationTime field on Windows platforms.

Errors

This field might not be available on all platforms, and will return an Err on platforms or filesystems where it is not available.

Examples
use std::fs;

fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let metadata = fs::metadata("foo.txt")?;

    if let Ok(time) = metadata.created() {
        println!("{time:?}");
    } else {
        println!("Not supported on this platform or filesystem");
    }
    Ok(())
}

Trait Implementations

Returns a copy of the value. Read more
Performs copy-assignment from source. Read more
Formats the value using the given formatter. Read more
Gain a reference to the underlying stat structure which contains the raw information returned by the OS. Read more
Returns the device ID on which this file resides. Read more
Returns the inode number. Read more
Returns the file type and mode. Read more
Returns the number of hard links to file. Read more
Returns the user ID of the file owner. Read more
Returns the group ID of the file owner. Read more
Returns the device ID that this file represents. Only relevant for special file. Read more
Returns the size of the file (if it is a regular file or a symbolic link) in bytes. Read more
Returns the last access time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last access time of the file, in nanoseconds since st_atime. Read more
Returns the last modification time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last modification time of the file, in nanoseconds since st_mtime. Read more
Returns the last status change time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last status change time of the file, in nanoseconds since st_ctime. Read more
Returns the “preferred” block size for efficient filesystem I/O. Read more
Returns the number of blocks allocated to the file, 512-byte units. Read more
Returns the ID of the device containing the file. Read more
Returns the inode number. Read more
Returns the rights applied to this file. Read more
Returns the number of hard links pointing to this file. Read more
Returns the user ID of the owner of this file. Read more
Returns the group ID of the owner of this file. Read more
Returns the device ID of this file (if it is a special one). Read more
Returns the total size of this file in bytes. Read more
Returns the last access time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last access time of the file, in nanoseconds since atime. Read more
Returns the last modification time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last modification time of the file, in nanoseconds since mtime. Read more
Returns the last status change time of the file, in seconds since Unix Epoch. Read more
Returns the last status change time of the file, in nanoseconds since ctime. Read more
Returns the block size for filesystem I/O. Read more
Returns the number of blocks allocated to the file, in 512-byte units. Read more

Auto Trait Implementations

Blanket Implementations

Gets the TypeId of self. Read more
Immutably borrows from an owned value. Read more
Mutably borrows from an owned value. Read more

Returns the argument unchanged.

Calls U::from(self).

That is, this conversion is whatever the implementation of From<T> for U chooses to do.

The resulting type after obtaining ownership.
Creates owned data from borrowed data, usually by cloning. Read more
Uses borrowed data to replace owned data, usually by cloning. Read more
The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
Performs the conversion.
The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
Performs the conversion.