Wishlist: set folder timestamp (like archive) to newest file

[jdmarch]

Perhaps folder dates would be more informative if their timestamps, like that of zip files (optionally), would match the date/time of the newest file (or subfolder) in the folder. For example, if I copy a folder, I'd rather it kept its original date, not today's.

I know that TC could not change how this is done systemwide, but what about an option for TC to automatically reset the timestamp of any folder which it modifies (by copying or deleting files)?

Or at least a new command "set timestamp of selected folders to match newest contained file/folder".

Comments?

[oblomov]

This is a filesystem features. NTFS filesystem changes the date of a folder when files in it get upated. FAT32 doesn't.

[jdmarch]

> This is a filesystem feature

I realize this (though I didn't remember the difference between NTFS and FAT, thanks).

I'm asking for a feature that would "touch" the folder after the filesystem touching (or not) is complete (or when the new command was issued).

[oblomov]

This would bring up the question on how far should the filemanager go in "hacking" for filesystem-specific features ...

[jb]

Perhaps folder dates would be more informative if their timestamps, like that of zip files (optionally), would match the date/time of the newest file (or subfolder) in the folder. For example, if I copy a folder, I'd rather it kept its original date, not today's.

I know that TC could not change how this is done systemwide, but what about an option for TC to automatically reset the timestamp of any folder which it modifies (by copying or deleting files)?

Or at least a new command "set timestamp of selected folders to match newest contained file/folder".

Comments?

Yes, I like the suggested command ("touch de luxe")! But the suggested option does not yet convince me.
The command may be named cm_SetDirDateToNewestFile and also be integrated into command cm_SetAttrib ("Files|Change Attributes..."). I mean the dialog of cm_SetAttrib could be extended by the option "Set directory date to newest file date". So you can see all features regarding attributes in one place. Probably more such features will come. On the other hand cm_SetDirDateToNewestFile seems important enough to be a command of its own (to be callable directly, not via cm_SetAttrib).

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 15-11-2003 02:14:48 +0000 jdmarch wrote:

Well, as oblomov mentioned NTFS has this functionality by default. So if you want it now you can just convert your partitions to NTFS (shell CONVERT command).

j> For example, if I copy a folder, I'd rather it kept its
j> original date, not today's.

Folder time stamps preserving on coping is a separate function and it's already supported in v. 6.0.

j> Or at least a new command "set timestamp of selected
j> folders to match newest contained file/folder".

I'd rather prefer INI parameter "SetDirDateToNewestFile=" with "0" value overriding NTFS default behavior on NTFS partitions.[/face]

[jdmarch]

2oblomov
The option and command which I am suggesting would not be file-system-specific. They would do the same operation on any OS, which is something which neither OS does, and they would do it not by hacking the file system, but by touching the folder after the file system operation was complete.

2ib
I agree with including the feature in the Attributes dialog as well as in its own command.

2black dog
NTFS has been my main file system for 7 years. No, it does not have this proposed functionality. What it does, which is very different than my proposal, is to touch the folder timestamp to the current time, whenever a change is made to the contents of the folder. The only time that this results in a timestamp matching the newest file in the folder is when a file in the folder is created or edited (etc).

Specifically, these timestamps do not match after a folder is copied, after a file is copied into a folder, or renamed in a folder, or deleted from a folder. With the command and option which I propose, the folder timestamp would match the newest sub timestamp after each of these operations (in the case of the proposed option), or after the invocation of the proposed command.

Thanks for mentioning that TC 6 preserves folder timestamps during folder copy. That's a step in the right direction.

[jb]

Thanks for mentioning that TC 6 preserves folder timestamps during folder copy. That's a step in the right direction.

Definitely YES, although even these "adjustments" of the folder timestamps might be considered as some sort of "hacking" the file system.

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 15-11-2003 22:34:27 +0000 jdmarch wrote:

j> The only time that this results in a timestamp matching the
j> newest file in the folder is when a file in the folder is
j> created or edited (etc).

Yep, agree with you, I thought about a bit different situation while answering. Though I do not need such a functionality desperately, it's a good idea in general. So you want it as default Commander behavior or just in a few cases? Because in the former situation my suggestion with INI parameter IMHO should be more functional.

j> Thanks for mentioning that TC 6 preserves folder timestamps
j> during folder copy. That's a step in the right direction.

Actually it was one of my most long-awaited features :). BTW, it's disabled be default.[/face]

[jdmarch]

I'm thinking to have this as general behavior, but there could be some system-related disadvantages which I have not thought about. Certainly it would be a useful command, if the option was turned off.

[Grave]

[face=courier]On 15-11-2003 22:34:27 +0000 jdmarch wrote:
j> Thanks for mentioning that TC 6 preserves folder timestamps
j> during folder copy. That's a step in the right direction.

Actually it was one of my most long-awaited features :). BTW, it's disabled be default.[/face]

it doesnt actually work
though it copies the date/time it WILL be updated to current time as soon as you enter the directory, you dont even have to make any change inside that directory, simple viewing is enough.
and i had my hopes :)

[ghisler(Author)]

I cannot reproduce this. Windows 2000/XP changes the folder date/time only when something is changed within the folder. So my guess is that you use some kind of background virus scanner which changes the last accessed times of some files, which updates the folder date too.

[Grave]

hm, i tried on 4 different computers (2 xp and 2 w2k), none of them has any av programs in background
if the directory is empty it works
if there are files in directory, it gets updated to current time

[jb]

Unfortunately I can reproduce it on Windows NT 4.0 SP6.
The 'last modified' timestamp of a directory gets also updated when you read the properties of the directory (Alt+Enter).

[jb]

The TC 6.0 help says:
Copy date/time of directories
Allows to copy the 'last modified' timestamp of a directory.

What's about the 'created' timestamp of a directory?