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From: std-unix@ut-sally.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.std.unix
Subject: Re: file times and shell commands
Message-ID: <6495@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Dec-86 10:18:16 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.6495
Posted: Thu Dec  4 10:18:16 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 00:15:42 EST
References: <6177@ut-sally.UUCP> <6196@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: IEEE P1003 Portable Operating System for Computer Environments Committee
Lines: 31
Approved: jbc@sally.utexas.edu
Summary: Another way to do it

From: glc@akgua.UUCP (glc)
Date: 30 Nov 86 16:02:09 GMT
Organization: AT&T Technologies/Bell Labs, Atlanta

> > There doesn't appear to be any decent way to compare the last modified
> > times of files from the shell...
> 
> Before everybody starts inventing their own names for this, it should be
> noted that V8 already has a program for this, newer(1).  
 
The newer(1) program is a very good solution to the problem.  For
those who (for whatever reason) do not wish to implement it, there
is an alternate method using the "make" command.

Make(1) has the "-q" option which causes it to return zero or
non-zero after checking the dependencies.  Here is an example:

  if echo "$DEPENDENT:$CONTROL;:" | make -f - -q
    then # The dependent file is up-to-date
    else # The control file is newer that the dependent file
  fi

Cheers,
  Lindsay

Lindsay Cleveland  (akgua!glc) (404) 447-3909   Cornet 583-3909
AT&T Technologies/Bell Laboratories ... Atlanta, Ga



Volume-Number: Volume 8, Number 61