Struct File 

pub struct File {
    pub rid: u32,
    pub token: Token,
    pub offset: usize,
    pub flags: FileAttributes,
    pub name: String,
    pub hash_value: AssemblyRefHash,
    pub custom_attributes: CustomAttributeValueList,
}

Represents a file definition with resolved references and owned data.

A file entry describes a component of a multi-file assembly, providing metadata about files that are part of the assembly but stored separately from the main manifest. This includes modules, resources, and native libraries.

File Types

Files can serve various purposes in assemblies:

• Executable modules: .netmodule files with executable code
• Resource files: .resources files with binary data
• Native libraries: .dll files with unmanaged code
• Documentation: .xml files with API documentation
• Configuration: Data files with application settings

File Attributes

The flags field indicates file characteristics:

• CONTAINS_META_DATA: File contains .NET metadata (executable modules)
• CONTAINS_NO_META_DATA: Resource files without metadata

Hash Verification

Each file includes a cryptographic hash for security:

• SHA-1 or SHA-256: Algorithm depends on assembly version
• Integrity checking: Verifies file hasn’t been tampered with
• Loading validation: Runtime can verify file authenticity
• Security assurance: Prevents malicious file substitution

Assembly Integration

Files integrate with the broader assembly structure:

• Module loading: Executable files loaded by the CLR
• Resource access: Resource files accessed through APIs
• P/Invoke: Native libraries used for interop
• Documentation: Help files displayed in IDEs

ECMA-335 Reference

See ECMA-335, Partition II, §22.19 for the complete File table specification.

Fields

rid: u32

The row identifier in the File table.

This 1-based index uniquely identifies this file within the File table. Combined with the table type, it forms the file’s unique identity.

token: Token

The metadata token for this file.

A crate::metadata::token::Token that uniquely identifies this file across the entire assembly. The token encodes both the table type (File) and the row ID.

offset: usize

The byte offset of this file in the metadata tables stream.

This offset points to the start of this file’s row data within the metadata tables stream, used for binary parsing and navigation.

flags: FileAttributes

File attribute flags indicating type and characteristics.

A 4-byte bitmask of FileAttributes values that specify the nature of the file, particularly whether it contains .NET metadata or is a resource file.

Common Values

• CONTAINS_META_DATA (0x0000): File contains .NET metadata
• CONTAINS_NO_META_DATA (0x0001): Resource file without metadata

name: String

The name of the file.

The filename as it appears in the assembly manifest, resolved from the strings heap. This name is used to locate the file during assembly loading and verification.

hash_value: AssemblyRefHash

Cryptographic hash value for integrity verification.

An AssemblyRefHash containing the hash data used to verify the file’s integrity. The hash algorithm (SHA-1 or SHA-256) depends on the assembly version and security requirements.

custom_attributes: CustomAttributeValueList

Custom attributes applied to this file.

A collection of custom attributes that provide additional metadata about the file, such as versioning information, descriptions, or security attributes.

Trait Implementations

impl Debug for File

fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result

Formats the value using the given formatter.