Accessing windoze file attributes

[Douglas]

Environment: X86, 1Gb RAM, Win XP, latest SP, Excel 2003.

Hi, can anyone direct a relative newbie to the best source of info?
I am writing my own backup app in Python 2.5.2 (all my company will
allow me to use) using IDLE.
I intend to run this app daily via the Task Scheduler to back up a
mission-critical spreadsheet that only I use.
It works well enough, but now I want to make it sensitive to the "A"
attribute (only backup the file if it is set), and update it
afterwards (unset it). This will help me avoid wasted disk due to
needless backups.
I have searched the inter-web and not found any info on how to do
access/alter Windows file attributes.
Please can someone direct me to a web page with suitable info
(preferably with code snyppyts)?
Many thanks, in advance.
-- Douglas