def METHOD_NAME(self, verify_external_attributes):
    self.expected_files = 0
    self.expected_symlinks = 0
    self.actual_files = 0
    self.actual_symlinks = 0
    if verify_external_attributes:
        for filename, data in self.files_with_external_attr.items():
            if data["file_type"] == 0o12:
                self.expected_symlinks += 1
            elif data["file_type"] == 0o10:
                self.expected_files += 1