Copy-Item does not retain Hidden attribute

Copied items do not retain their attributes.

Steps to reproduce

md temp1
md temp2
cd .\temp1\
git init
(Get-Item .\.git\ -Force).Attributes
# Output:  Hidden, Directory
Copy-Item * ..\temp2\ -Recurse -Force
cd ..\temp2\
(Get-Item .\.git\ -Force).Attributes
# Output:  Directory

Expected behavior

The .git folder should still have the Hidden attribute after it is copied.

Actual behavior

The .git folder no longer has the Hidden attribute.

Environment data

$PSVersionTable

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.0.3
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.0.3
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.18362
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

[iSazonov]

It is not clear - today we copy only file attributes:

• will preserve current behavior without these new parameters?
• with IncludeAttributes will we copy both file and directory attributes?
• with ExcludeAttributes will we exclude all file and directory attributes?

It seems we get a complex behavior and it can confuse users. I’d prefer more simple UX.

Since file attributes are coped by default should new parameter be -IncludeDirectoryAttributes? And what about with Exclude in the case? Have -ExcludeFileAttributes only or -ExcludeDirectoryAttributes too?

---

I tested with Far Manager - it copies directory attributes by default. If this feature is present and gone then it will definitely be a bucket 3 breaking change. But if this feature is not present, and it will be added, then this is definitely not a breaking change. (Those to whom it is important use a workaround today. Those who don’t care ignore it at all.)

My proposal is:

• add the feature (copy directory attributes) by default (as experimental feature)
• add backward compatibility switch ExcludeDirectoryAttributes

We have about 1 year for getting feedbacks and adoption.

[SteveL-MSFT]

@PowerShell/powershell-committee reviewed this again, we agree on an experimental feature that copies the directory attributes. In addition, not having any -ExcludeDirectoryAttributes switch initially unless customer feedback makes it clear this is needed. In the case of someone copying a ReadOnly directory and subsequently trying to write to it because it worked previously they would get a clear error message and should update their script to modify the directory attribute explicitly.