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SCARD_E_NO_FILE
Directory and file are distinct card objects
SCARD_E_NO_FILE means that the path supplied to a smart-card file operation does not identify an elementary file. The target may instead be a directory-like dedicated file, a provider-specific object, an application that has not been selected, or a path encoded for a different card profile. It is not equivalent to a missing file on the PC.
The distinction matters because a card may use one namespace for low-level ISO 7816 files and another for cryptographic containers, certificates, or application data. PC/SC transports commands to the reader; it does not make every card expose a portable file hierarchy. Middleware translates high-level requests and can therefore be the layer that produced this status.
Diagnostic path
- Verify the card application and file identifier expected by the installed minidriver or middleware.
- Compare the requested object type with the API contract; use a file read operation only for an object exposed as a file.
- Keep an APDU or middleware trace when possible, because it identifies whether the mismatch was detected locally or by the card.
References
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