WriteEncryptedFileRaw function (winbase.h)

Restores (import) encrypted files. This is one of a group of Encrypted File System (EFS) functions that is intended to implement backup and restore functionality, while maintaining files in their encrypted state.

Syntax

DWORD WriteEncryptedFileRaw(
  [in]           PFE_IMPORT_FUNC pfImportCallback,
  [in, optional] PVOID           pvCallbackContext,
  [in]           PVOID           pvContext
);

Parameters

[in] pfImportCallback

A pointer to the import callback function. The system calls the callback function multiple times, each time passing a buffer that will be filled by the callback function with a portion of backed-up file's data. When the callback function signals that the entire file has been processed, it tells the system that the restore operation is finished. For more information, see ImportCallback.

[in, optional] pvCallbackContext

A pointer to an application-defined and allocated context block. The system passes this pointer to the callback function as a parameter so that the callback function can have access to application-specific data. This can be a structure and can contain any data the application needs, such as the handle to the file that will contain the backup copy of the encrypted file.

[in] pvContext

A pointer to a system-defined context block. The context block is returned by the OpenEncryptedFileRaw function. Do not modify it.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is ERROR_SUCCESS.

If the function fails, it returns a nonzero error code defined in WinError.h. You can use FormatMessage with the FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM flag to get a generic text description of the error.

Remarks

The file being restored is not decrypted; it is restored in its encrypted state.

To back up an encrypted file, call OpenEncryptedFileRaw to open the file. Then call ReadEncryptedFileRaw, passing it the address of an application-defined export callback function. The system calls this callback function multiple times until the entire file's contents have been read and backed up. When the backup is complete, call CloseEncryptedFileRaw to free resources and close the file. See ExportCallback for details about how to declare the export callback function.

To restore an encrypted file, call OpenEncryptedFileRaw, specifying CREATE_FOR_IMPORT in the ulFlags parameter. Then call WriteEncryptedFileRaw, passing it the address of an application-defined import callback function. The system calls this callback function multiple times until the entire file's contents have been read and restored. When the restore is complete, call CloseEncryptedFileRaw to free resources and close the file. See ImportCallback for details about how to declare the export callback function.

If the file is a sparse file that was backed up from a volume with a smaller sparse allocation unit size than the volume it is being restored to, the sparse blocks in the middle of the file may not properly align with the larger blocks and the function call would fail and set an ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER last error code. The sparse allocation unit size is either 16 clusters or 64 KB, whichever is smaller.

This function is intended for restoring only encrypted files; see BackupWrite for restoring unencrypted files.

In Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and later, this function is supported by the following technologies.

SMB 3.0 does not support EFS on shares with continuous availability capability.

Requirements

See also

BackupWrite

CloseEncryptedFileRaw

File Encryption

File Management Functions

ImportCallback

OpenEncryptedFileRaw

ReadEncryptedFileRaw