---
name: "libssh2_sftp_fstat_ex"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libssh2"
version: "1.11.1-7"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/libssh2_sftp_fstat_ex"
---

# libssh2\_sftp\_fstat\_ex(3)

get or set attributes on an SFTP file handle

## NAME

libssh2\_sftp\_fstat\_ex - get or set attributes on an SFTP file handle

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <libssh2.h>
#include <libssh2_sftp.h>
int
libssh2_sftp_fstat_ex(LIBSSH2_SFTP_HANDLE *handle,
                      LIBSSH2_SFTP_ATTRIBUTES *attrs, int setstat)
#define libssh2_sftp_fstat(handle, attrs) \
    libssh2_sftp_fstat_ex((handle), (attrs), 0)
#define libssh2_sftp_fsetstat(handle, attrs) \
    libssh2_sftp_fstat_ex((handle), (attrs), 1)
```

## DESCRIPTION

*handle* - SFTP File Handle as returned by **[libssh2\_sftp\_open\_ex(3)](/libssh2_sftp_open_ex/3.md)**

*attrs* - Pointer to an LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_ATTRIBUTES structure to set file metadata from or into depending on the value of setstat.

*setstat* - When non-zero, the file's metadata will be updated with the data found in attrs according to the values of attrs-\>flags and other relevant member attributes.

Get or Set statbuf type data for a given LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_HANDLE instance.

## DATA TYPES

LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_ATTRIBUTES is a typedefed struct that is defined as below

```
struct _LIBSSH2_SFTP_ATTRIBUTES {
    /* If flags & ATTR_* bit is set, then the value in this
     * struct will be meaningful Otherwise it should be ignored
     */
    unsigned long flags;
    /* size of file, in bytes */
    libssh2_uint64_t filesize;
    /* numerical representation of the user and group owner of
     * the file
     */
    unsigned long uid, gid;
    /* bitmask of permissions */
    unsigned long permissions;
    /* access time and modified time of file */
    unsigned long atime, mtime;
};
```

You will find a full set of defines and macros to identify flags and permissions on the **libssh2\_sftp.h** header file, but some of the most common ones are:

To check for specific user permissions, the set of defines are in the pattern LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_I\<action\>\<who\> where \<action\> is R, W or X for read, write and executable and \<who\> is USR, GRP and OTH for user, group and other. So, you check for a user readable file, use the bit *LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_IRUSR* while you want to see if it is executable for other, you use *LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_IXOTH* and so on.

To check for specific file types, you would previously (before libssh2 1.2.5) use the standard posix S\_IS\*\*\*() macros, but since 1.2.5 libssh2 offers its own set of macros for this functionality:

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISLNK

  Test for a symbolic link

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISREG

  Test for a regular file

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISDIR

  Test for a directory

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISCHR

  Test for a character special file

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISBLK

  Test for a block special file

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISFIFO

  Test for a pipe or FIFO special file

- LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_ISSOCK

  Test for a socket

## RETURN VALUE

Return 0 on success or negative on failure. It returns LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_EAGAIN when it would otherwise block. While LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_EAGAIN is a negative number, it is not really a failure per se.

## ERRORS

*LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_ALLOC* - An internal memory allocation call failed.

*LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_SOCKET\_SEND* - Unable to send data on socket.

*LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_SOCKET\_TIMEOUT* -

*LIBSSH2\_ERROR\_SFTP\_PROTOCOL* - An invalid SFTP protocol response was received on the socket, or an SFTP operation caused an errorcode to be returned by the server.

## AVAILABILITY

This function has been around since forever, but most of the LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_\* defines were introduced in libssh2 0.14 and the LIBSSH2\_SFTP\_S\_IS\*\*\*() macros were introduced in libssh2 1.2.5.

## SEE ALSO

**[libssh2\_sftp\_open\_ex(3)](/libssh2_sftp_open_ex/3.md)**