@end example
@end defun
-@defun file-attributes filename
+@defun file-attributes filename &optional id-format
This function returns a list of attributes of file @var{filename}. If
the specified file cannot be opened, it returns @code{nil}.
+The optional parameter @var{id-format} specifies the preferred format
+of attributes @acronym{UID} and @acronym{GID} (see below)---the
+valid values are @code{'string} and @code{'integer}. The latter is
+the default, but we plan to change that, so you should specify a
+non-@code{nil} value for @var{id-format} if you use the returned
+@acronym{UID} or @acronym{GID}.
The elements of the list, in order, are:
(@pxref{Changing Files}).
@item
-The file's @acronym{UID}.
+The file's @acronym{UID} as a string or an integer. If a string
+value cannot be looked up, the integer value is returned.
@item
-The file's @acronym{GID}.
+The file's @acronym{GID} likewise.
@item
The time of last access, as a list of two integers.
@example
@group
-(file-attributes "files.texi")
- @result{} (nil 1 2235 75
+(file-attributes "files.texi" 'string)
+ @result{} (nil 1 "lh" "users"
(8489 20284)
(8489 20284)
(8489 20285)
has only one name (the name @file{files.texi} in the current default
directory).
-@item 2235
-is owned by the user with @acronym{UID} 2235.
+@item "lh"
+is owned by the user with name "lh".
-@item 75
-is in the group with @acronym{GID} 75.
+@item "users"
+is in the group with name "users".
@item (8489 20284)
was last accessed on Aug 19 00:09.