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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010/.NET Framework 4

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
DirectoryInfo..::.SetAccessControl Method

Applies access control list (ACL) entries described by a DirectorySecurity object to the directory described by the current DirectoryInfo object.

Namespace:  System.IO
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic
Public Sub SetAccessControl ( _
    directorySecurity As DirectorySecurity _
)
C#
public void SetAccessControl(
    DirectorySecurity directorySecurity
)
Visual C++
public:
void SetAccessControl(
    DirectorySecurity^ directorySecurity
)
F#
member SetAccessControl : 
        directorySecurity:DirectorySecurity -> unit 

Parameters

directorySecurity
Type: System.Security.AccessControl..::.DirectorySecurity
An object that describes an ACL entry to apply to the directory described by the path parameter.
ExceptionCondition
ArgumentNullException

The directorySecurity parameter is nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).

SystemException

The file could not be found or modified.

UnauthorizedAccessException

The current process does not have access to open the file.

PlatformNotSupportedException

The current operating system is not Microsoft Windows 2000 or later.

The SetAccessControl method applies access control list (ACL) entries to a file that represents the noninherited ACL list.

Caution noteCaution

The ACL specified for directorySecurity replaces the existing ACL for the directory. To add permissions for a new user, use the GetAccessControl method to obtain the existing ACL, and modify it.

  1. An ACL describes individuals and/or groups who have, or do not have, rights to specific actions on the given file or directory. For more information, see ACL Technology Overview and How to: Add or Remove Access Control List Entries.

The SetAccessControl method persists only DirectorySecurity objects that have been modified after object creation.  If a DirectorySecurity object has not been modified, it will not be persisted to a file.  Therefore, it is not possible to retrieve a DirectorySecurity object from one file and reapply the same object to another file.

To copy ACL information from one file to another:

  1. Use the GetAccessControl method to retrieve the DirectorySecurity object from the source file.

  2. Create a new DirectorySecurity object for the destination file.

  3. Use the GetSecurityDescriptorBinaryForm or GetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm method of the source DirectorySecurity object to retrieve the ACL information.

  4. Use the SetSecurityDescriptorBinaryForm or SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm method to copy the information retrieved in step 3 to the destination DirectorySecurity object.

  5. Set the destination DirectorySecurity object to the destination file using the SetAccessControl method.

The following example uses the GetAccessControl and SetAccessControl methods to add and then remove an access control list (ACL) entry from a directory.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Security.AccessControl



Module DirectoryExample

    Sub Main()
        Try
            Dim DirectoryName As String = "TestDirectory"

            Console.WriteLine("Adding access control entry for " + DirectoryName)

            ' Add the access control entry to the directory.
            AddDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, "MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow)

            Console.WriteLine("Removing access control entry from " + DirectoryName)

            ' Remove the access control entry from the directory.
            RemoveDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, "MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow)

            Console.WriteLine("Done.")
        Catch e As Exception
            Console.WriteLine(e)
        End Try

        Console.ReadLine()

    End Sub


    ' Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
    Sub AddDirectorySecurity(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal Account As String, ByVal Rights As FileSystemRights, ByVal ControlType As AccessControlType)
        ' Create a new DirectoryInfoobject.
        Dim dInfo As New DirectoryInfo(FileName)

        ' Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
        ' current security settings.
        Dim dSecurity As DirectorySecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

        ' Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
        dSecurity.AddAccessRule(New FileSystemAccessRule(Account, Rights, ControlType))

        ' Set the new access settings.
        dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity)

    End Sub


    ' Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
    Sub RemoveDirectorySecurity(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal Account As String, ByVal Rights As FileSystemRights, ByVal ControlType As AccessControlType)
        ' Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
        Dim dInfo As New DirectoryInfo(FileName)

        ' Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
        ' current security settings.
        Dim dSecurity As DirectorySecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl()

        ' Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
        dSecurity.RemoveAccessRule(New FileSystemAccessRule(Account, Rights, ControlType))

        ' Set the new access settings.
        dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity)

    End Sub
End Module

C#
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Security.AccessControl;

namespace FileSystemExample
{
    class DirectoryExample
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
            try
            {
                string DirectoryName = "TestDirectory";

                Console.WriteLine("Adding access control entry for " + DirectoryName);

                // Add the access control entry to the directory.
                AddDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow);

                Console.WriteLine("Removing access control entry from " + DirectoryName);

                // Remove the access control entry from the directory.
                RemoveDirectorySecurity(DirectoryName, @"MYDOMAIN\MyAccount", FileSystemRights.ReadData, AccessControlType.Allow);

                Console.WriteLine("Done.");
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(e);
            }

            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        // Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
        public static void AddDirectorySecurity(string FileName, string Account, FileSystemRights Rights, AccessControlType ControlType)
        {
            // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
            DirectoryInfo dInfo = new DirectoryInfo(FileName);

            // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
            // current security settings.
            DirectorySecurity dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl();

            // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
            dSecurity.AddAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(Account,
                                                            Rights,
                                                            ControlType));

            // Set the new access settings.
            dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity);

        }

        // Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the specified account.
        public static void RemoveDirectorySecurity(string FileName, string Account, FileSystemRights Rights, AccessControlType ControlType)
        {
            // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
            DirectoryInfo dInfo = new DirectoryInfo(FileName);

            // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the 
            // current security settings.
            DirectorySecurity dSecurity = dInfo.GetAccessControl();

            // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings. 
            dSecurity.RemoveAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(Account,
                                                            Rights,
                                                            ControlType));

            // Set the new access settings.
            dInfo.SetAccessControl(dSecurity);

        }
    }
}

Visual C++
using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Security::AccessControl;

// Adds an ACL entry on the specified directory for the
// specified account.
void AddDirectorySecurity(String^ directoryName, String^ account, 
     FileSystemRights rights, AccessControlType controlType)
{
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    DirectoryInfo^ dInfo = gcnew DirectoryInfo(directoryName);

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    DirectorySecurity^ dSecurity = dInfo->GetAccessControl();

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity->AddAccessRule( gcnew FileSystemAccessRule(account,
        rights, controlType));

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo->SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
}

// Removes an ACL entry on the specified directory for the
// specified account.
void RemoveDirectorySecurity(String^ directoryName, String^ account,
     FileSystemRights rights, AccessControlType controlType)
{
    // Create a new DirectoryInfo object.
    DirectoryInfo^ dInfo = gcnew DirectoryInfo(directoryName);

    // Get a DirectorySecurity object that represents the
    // current security settings.
    DirectorySecurity^ dSecurity = dInfo->GetAccessControl();

    // Add the FileSystemAccessRule to the security settings.
    dSecurity->RemoveAccessRule(gcnew FileSystemAccessRule(account,
        rights, controlType));

    // Set the new access settings.
    dInfo->SetAccessControl(dSecurity);
}    

int main()
{
    String^ directoryName = "TestDirectory";
    String^ accountName = "MYDOMAIN\\MyAccount";
    if (!Directory::Exists(directoryName))
    {
        Console::WriteLine("The directory {0} could not be found.", 
            directoryName);
        return 0;
    }
    try
    {
        Console::WriteLine("Adding access control entry for {0}",
            directoryName);

        // Add the access control entry to the directory.
        AddDirectorySecurity(directoryName, accountName,
            FileSystemRights::ReadData, AccessControlType::Allow);

        Console::WriteLine("Removing access control entry from {0}",
            directoryName);

        // Remove the access control entry from the directory.
        RemoveDirectorySecurity(directoryName, accountName, 
            FileSystemRights::ReadData, AccessControlType::Allow);

        Console::WriteLine("Done.");
    }
    catch (UnauthorizedAccessException^)
    {
        Console::WriteLine("You are not authorised to carry" +
            " out this procedure.");
    }
    catch (System::Security::Principal::
        IdentityNotMappedException^)
    {
        Console::WriteLine("The account {0} could not be found.", accountName);
    }
}

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
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