Directory Handles

Whenever a process creates or opens a directory object, it receives a handle to the object.

To obtain a handle to an existing directory, call the CreateFile function with the FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS flag.

You can pass a directory handle to the following functions.

Function Description
BackupRead Back up a file or directory, including the security information.
BackupSeek Seeks forward in a data stream initially accessed by using the BackupRead or BackupWrite function.
BackupWrite Restore a file or directory that was backed up using BackupRead.
GetFileInformationByHandle Retrieves file information for the specified file.
GetFileSize Retrieves the size of the specified file, in bytes.
GetFileTime Retrieves the date and time that a file or directory was created, last accessed, and last modified.
GetFileType Retrieves the file type of the specified file.
ReadDirectoryChangesW Retrieves information that describes the changes within the specified directory.
SetFileTime Sets the date and time that the specified file or directory was created, last accessed, or last modified.