Manual:System/File

Applies to RouterOS: v3, v4 +

Summary

Sub-menu level: /file

File menu shows all user space files on the router. It is possible to see and edit file content or delete file. file creation is not possible from this menu, to create files see scripting examples for workaround.

If RouterOS ".npk" package is uploaded, file menu will also show package specific information, like architecture, build date and time, etc.

File content example:

[admin@dzeltenais_burkaans] /file> print 
 # NAME                          TYPE                    SIZE                 CREATION-TIME       
 0 autosupout.rif                .rif file               357368               oct/05/2010 09:47:01
 1 sample.txt                    .txt file               230                  oct/11/2010 12:14:43
[admin@dzeltenais_burkaans] /file> set 1 contents=Hello

[admin@dzeltenais_burkaans] /file> print detail where name~"sample"
 1 name="sample.txt" type=".txt file" size=5 creation-time=oct/11/2010 12:15:38 contents=Hello 
[admin@dzeltenais_burkaans] /file> 

Package example:

[admin@493G] /file> print detail 
 0 name="multicast-5.0rc2-mipsbe.npk" type="package" size=245643 creation-time=jan/05/1970 21:44:25 
   package-name="multicast" package-version="5.0rc2" package-build-time=oct/11/2010 06:34:02 
   package-architecture="mips" 

Warning: If device has a directory named "flash" in its file list, then files which you want to be kept after system reboot/power cycle must be stored within it. As anything outside of it is kept within a RAM disk and will be lost upon reboot. Note: this does not include .npk upgrade files as they will be applied by upgrade process before system discards the RAM drive content.

Note: For multicore devices with a NAND flash memory (e.g. CCR series routers, RB4011iGS), RouterOS uses a write-back which will cache file changes into RAM memory instead of writing them straight away into flash media. The file changes will be stored on the flash when it is absolutely necessary, the writing can be delayed by up to 40 seconds. This helps to reduce CPU cycles which results in better performance. However, this can cause empty or zero-length files when a device experience a sudden power loss, because files were not fully saved on a flash.

Properties

Property	Description
contents (string; Default: )	Actual content of the file.

Read-only properties

Property	Description
creation-time (time)	Time when file was created
name (string)	Name of the file
package-architecture (string)	Architecture that package is built for. Applies only to RouterOS ".npk" files.
package-built-time (string)	Time when package was built. Applies only to RouterOS ".npk" files.
package-name (string)	Name of the installable package that. Applies only to RouterOS ".npk" files.
package-version (string)	version of the installable package that. Applies only to RouterOS ".npk" files.
size (integer)	File size in bytes
file type (string)	Type of the file. For folders file type is directory

read more

• Scripting examples
• RouterOS upgrade