Is it possible to create a hidden txt file in C++?

Question

I am constructing an app in Visual Studio. I need to create some files to be used in a dll, but I want the files to be hidden when viewing the folder. How can I do this in a C++ program?

Interactively, you can mark a file has hidden by right-clicking on it, selecting "Properties" and selecting "Hidden". The question is, how can do something equivalent from a C++ program?

Answer 1

Use the SetFileAttributes function in the Windows API:

#include <windows.h>
#include <fstream>

std::fstream file; 
int main(){ 

   file.open("myUnhiddenFile.txt",std::ios::out); 
   file << "This is my unhidden file, that I have created just now" ; 
   file.close();

   wchar_t* fileLPCWSTR = L"myUnhiddenFile.txt"; // To avoid incompatibility
                                                 // in GetFileAttributes()
   int attr = GetFileAttributes(fileLPCWSTR);
   if ((attr & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN) == 0) {
       SetFileAttributes(fileLPCWSTR, attr | FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN);
    }
   return(0);
} 

Answer 2

#include <Windows.h>

DWORD attributes = GetFileAttributes("MyFile.txt");
SetFileAttributes("MyFile.txt", attributes + FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN)

Answer 3

Files created with the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN can be easily seen when checking the " Hidden Items " checkbox. The only way to really hide a file is to use a File System Filter Driver that will eliminate the file (or a file/s pattern) record from the results, whenever NtQueryDirectoryFile () is called. Windows File Explorer calls NtQueryDirectoryFile() so with such driver, the file won't show even if "Hidden Items" is checked.

Answer 4

Try this simple technique..

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main(){
system("echo >file.txt");
system("attrib +h +s file.txt");

return 0;
}