# refind [](https://crates.io/crates/refind/) [](https://github.com/thewh1teagle/refind/blob/main/LICENSE) Keep track of files even after they're renamed or moved. # Introduction `refind` is cross platform `Rust` crate for locating file by it's `ID`. Keep track of files even after they're renamed or moved. # Supported platforms `Windows` and `macOS`, with limited functionality on `Linux`. # Install ```console cargo add refind ``` # Usage Create file ID ```rust fn main() { let id = refind::get_id("".into()).unwrap(); println!("ID: {}", id); } ``` Find path from ID ```rust fn main() { let realpath = refind::find_path(").unwrap(); println!("Path: {}", realpath.display()); } ``` # Examples See [examples](examples) # ID format In `Windows`, the ID consists of a string representation of an unsigned 64-bit integer, e.g., `111111111111111`. In `macOS`, it's the device ID combined with the inode using a `:` separator, e.g., `111111111:2222222222`. # How it works ### macOS `macOS` has a special directory, `.vol`, allowing file access via device number and file inode. It also retrieves file paths from descriptors. `refind` library creates a file ID with device ID and inode from `stat`, facilitating path retrieval via .vol. Finally, it uses `fcntl` with `F_GETPATH` for realpath. see more [Here](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/qa/qa2001/qa1113.html). To demonstrate, `stat `, copy device ID and inode, then use ```console GetFileInfo /.vol/{device id}/{file inode} ``` ### Windows `Windows` defines unique identifier for files and provide a way to get it via `GetFileInformationByHandle` Later `refind` uses `OpenFileById` to open it by the ID, and uses `GetFileInformationByHandleEx` with `FILE_INFO_BY_HANDLE_CLASS` to get it's path. To demonstrate, you can get file id with ```console fsutil file queryFileid ``` And to get it's path from the ID you can use ```console fsutil file queryFileNamebyid fileID ``` See [microsoft/extendedfileapis](https://github.com/microsoft/Windows-classic-samples/blob/main/Samples/Win7Samples/winbase/io/extendedfileapis/ExtendedFileAPIs.cpp) ### Linux `Linux` resorts to a naive approach by traversing the filesystem from the home folder downwards, comparing file IDs. While relatively fast, it lacks the efficiency of macOS and Windows methods. see [stackoverflow.com/questions/1406679/](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1406679/retrieving-the-path-from-a-file-descriptor-or-file)