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Accessing alternative data-streams of files on an NTFS volume

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15 Aug 2016CPOL4 min read 500.1K   5.4K   132   86
A pair of classes to encapsulate access to NTFS alternative data streams.

Introduction

Since NT 3.1, the NTFS file system has supported multiple data-streams for files. There has never been built-in support for viewing or manipulating these additional streams, but the Windows API functions include support for them with a special file syntax: Filename.ext:StreamName. Even Win9x machines can access the alternative data streams of files on any NTFS volume they have access to, e.g., through a mapped drive. Because the Scripting.FileSystemObject and many other libraries call the CreateFile API behind the scenes, even scripts have been able to access alternative streams quite easily (although enumerating the existing streams has always been tricky).

In .NET, however, it seems someone decided to add some checking to the format of filenames. If you attempt to open a FileStream on an alternative stream, you will get a "Path Format not supported" exception. I have been unable to find any class in the CLR that provides support for alternative data streams, so I decided to roll my own.

Update

I originally wrote this code in 2002, targeting v1 of the .NET Framework. Looking at the code now, it seems quite messy, and has several bugs and problems which were mentioned in the comments. I have since completely re-written the code for .NET v3.5, and (hopefully) fixed the bugs.

The new code is not compatible with the original version. However, I have included a sample compatibility wrapper which maps the old API to the new API. You can find these files under the "other/Compatibility wrapper" folder in the download.

Bugs / Issues Fixed

  • The code now uses the FileSystemInfo class rather than the FileInfo class. This allows you to access alternate data streams attached to folders as well as files. (Suggested by Dan Elebash.)
  • The code now uses SafeFileHandle instead of IntPtr for the file handle. (Suggested by Moomansun.)
  • The code is now 64-bit compatible. (Reported by John SMith 5634552745.)
  • The code now correctly calls BackupRead with the bAbort parameter set to true after enumerating the streams. (Reported by scooter_jsm.)
  • The number of global memory allocations required to read the streams from a file has been reduced. (Suggested by scooter_jsm.)
  • v2.1: ValidateStreamName now accepts stream names which contain characters with ASCII codes between 1 and 31. (Reported by Andy Missico.)
  • v2.1: The code will now attempt to map standard IO errors to the equivalent .NET Exception type. (Suggested by Andy Missico.)

Using the Classes

The AlternateDataStreamInfo class represents the details of an individual stream, and provides methods to create, open, or delete the stream.

The static FileSystem class provides methods to retrieve the list of streams for a file, retrieve a specific stream from a file, determine whether a stream exists, and delete a specific stream.

All methods on the FileSystem class offer overloads which accept either a path or a FileSystemInfo object. The overloads which accept a FileSystemInfo object can also be invoked as extension methods.

Example:

C#
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.IO;
using Trinet.Core.IO.Ntfs;

...

FileInfo file = new FileInfo(path);

// List the additional streams for a file:
foreach (AlternateDataStreamInfo s in file.ListAlternateDataStreams())
{
    Console.WriteLine("{0} - {1} bytes", s.Name, s.Size);
}

// Read the "Zone.Identifier" stream, if it exists:
if (file.AlternateDataStreamExists("Zone.Identifier"))
{
    Console.WriteLine("Found zone identifier stream:");
    
    AlternateDataStreamInfo s = 
       file.GetAlternateDataStream("Zone.Identifier",
                                   FileMode.Open);
    using (TextReader reader = s.OpenText())
    {
        Console.WriteLine(reader.ReadToEnd());
    }
    
    // Delete the stream:
    s.Delete();
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine("No zone identifier stream found.");
}

// Alternative method to delete the stream:
file.DeleteAlternateDataStream("Zone.Identifier");

Files Included

  • The Trinet.Core.IO.Ntfs folder contains the source code.
  • The doc folder contains the documentation and FxCop project.
  • The bin folder contains the compiled assembly.
  • The other folder contains the compatibility wrapper, and a sample to recursively delete the "Zone.Identifier" stream from all files in a given path.

References

If you want more information on NTFS programming, or the C++ code I based this on, see Dino Esposito's MSDN article from March 2000: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms810604.aspx [^].

History

  • v1 - 1 August 2002 - Initial release, targeting .NET 1.0.
  • v2 - 16 September 2008 - Re-written to target .NET 3.5; major changes include:
    • Replaced FileInfo with FileSystemInfo.
    • Replaced IntPtr with SafeFileHandle.
    • Made the P/Invoke calls 64-bit compatible.
    • Made the code abort the BackupRead operation after enumerating the streams.
    • Reduced the number of global memory allocations required.
  • v2.1 - 28 July 2010 - Minor fixes suggested by Andy Missico:
    • Changed ValidateStreamName to accept stream names containing characters with ASCII codes between 1 and 31 (see msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247).
    • Added mapping of standard IO errors to the correct .NET exceptions.
  • v2.2 - 15 August 2016 - Fix for bug reported by Member 12683101, where zero-length alternate streams prevented subsequent streams from being enumerated.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Software Developer CodeProject
United Kingdom United Kingdom
I started writing code when I was 8, with my trusty ZX Spectrum and a subscription to "Input" magazine. Spent many a happy hour in the school's computer labs with the BBC Micros and our two DOS PCs.

After a brief detour into the world of Maths, I found my way back into programming during my degree via free copies of Delphi and Visual C++ given away with computing magazines.

I went straight from my degree into my first programming job, at Trinet Ltd. Eleven years later, the company merged to become ArcomIT. Three years after that, our project manager left to set up Nevalee Business Solutions, and took me with him. Since then, we've taken on four more members of staff, and more work than you can shake a stick at. Smile | :)

Between writing custom code to integrate with Visma Business, developing web portals to streamline operations for a large multi-national customer, and maintaining RedAtlas, our general aviation airport management system, there's certainly never a dull day in the office!

Outside of work, I enjoy real ale and decent books, and when I get the chance I "tinkle the ivories" on my Technics organ.

Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionDirectories Pin
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GeneralRe: Directories Pin
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Questionnetwork path Pin
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AnswerRe: network path Pin
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GeneralRe: network path Pin
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GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
X t r eme r t X17-Feb-17 5:31
professionalX t r eme r t X17-Feb-17 5:31 
QuestionWhy I can list only the first alter stream ? Pin
Member 1268310115-Aug-16 0:16
Member 1268310115-Aug-16 0:16 
AnswerRe: Why I can list only the first alter stream ? Pin
Richard Deeming15-Aug-16 2:32
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GeneralRe: Why I can list only the first alter stream ? Pin
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GeneralRe: Why I can list only the first alter stream ? Pin
Richard Deeming15-Aug-16 3:41
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GeneralRe: Why I can list only the first alter stream ? Pin
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QuestionAwesome Job Pin
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QuestionThanks Pin
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QuestionCreate NTFS Pin
Member 1160605819-Apr-15 4:15
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AnswerRe: Create NTFS Pin
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Keith L Robertson6-Sep-13 7:26
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SuggestionNotSupportedException for non-NTFS Pin
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QuestionNot showing all data Pin
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QuestionSerialization Pin
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AnswerRe: Serialization Pin
Richard Deeming20-Apr-12 7:37
mveRichard Deeming20-Apr-12 7:37 
The AlternateDataStreamInfo class exposes the Open method, with equivalent overloads to the File.Open / FileInfo.Open methods. It also exposes the OpenRead and OpenWrite methods, which mirror the equivalent static methods on the File class and instance methods on the FileInfo class.

All of these methods return a FileStream instance. If you need a StreamReader or StreamWriter for the stream, you can simply pass the FileStream object to the constructor:

C#
AlternateDataStreamInfo ads = FileSystem.GetAlternateDataStream(filePath, streamName);
using (FileStream stream = ads.Open(FileMode.OpenOrCreate, FileAccess.Write))
using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(stream))
{
   // And then the text-based magic happens! :)
}


Similarly, if you need a BinaryReader or BinaryWriter for the stream, just pass the FileStream object to the constructor:
C#
AlternateDataStreamInfo ads = FileSystem.GetAlternateDataStream(filePath, streamName);
using (FileStream stream = ads.Open(FileMode.OpenOrCreate, FileAccess.Write))
using (BinaryWriter writer = new BinaryWriter(stream))
{
   // And then the low-level binary magic happens! :)
}




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