chflags

Change a file or folder's flags.

SYNTAX 
      chflags [-R [-H | -L | -P]] flags file ...

KEY
     -R	     Recurse: Change the file flags of file hierarchies rooted in the files
	     instead of just the files themselves.

     -R -H      Follow symbolic links on the command line
	       (by default Symbolic links within the tree are not followed.)	       

     -R -L      All symbolic links are followed.

     -R -P      No symbolic links are followed. (default)

The flags are specified as an octal number or a comma separated list of keywords.

  keywords and keyword aliases(owner or super-user only)

             opaque           set the opaque flag 
             nodump           set the nodump flag 
             uappnd, uappend  set the user append-only flag
   uchg, uchange, uimmutable  set the user immutable flag
             uunlnk, uunlink  set the user undeletable flag

  keywords and keyword aliases(super-user only)

             arch, archived   set the archived flag
             sappnd, sappend  set the system append-only flag
   schg, schange, simmutable  set the system immutable flag
             sunlnk, sunlink  set the system undeletable flag

The immutable flag is equivalent to locking the file in the Finder's Show Info box.


Putting the letters `no' before an option causes the flag to be turned off.
  For example:
	   nouchg  means the file can be changed (immutable bit cleared)
	   uchg    means the file cannot be changed

     Symbolic links do not have flags, so unless the -H or -L option is set,
     chflags on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect.  The -H, -L
     and -P options are ignored unless the -R option is specified.  In addi-
     tion, these options override each other and the command's actions are
     determined by the last one specified.

     You can use "ls -lo" to see the flags of existing files.

Examples

Lock the file or folder named "finance" against changes
chflags uchg finance

Make the file "MyLogs.txt" append-only
chflags uappnd MyLogs.txt

Unlock your Documents directory and everything in it
chflags -R nouchg ~/Documents

"Fifteen referees. I want fifteen referees to be at this fight because there ain't no one man who can keep up with the pace I'm gonna set except me. There's not a man alive who can whup me. I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty. I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked." - Muhammad Ali

Related commands:

ln - Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links)
ls - List information about file(s)
setfile - Set attributes of HFS+ files