Getting files which are created after a specific time from Unix Directory Using Touch and Find Commands
Generally, we all know that we can create a file using “touch” command in UNIX. If the given file does not exist then “touch” command will create that file, otherwise it will change the modification time of that file.
Syntax:
touch filename
Suppose, in our project, we will get source files with the naming convention “SOURCE_FILE_YYYYMMDD.dat”. And today we have received SOURCE_FILE_20140117.dat and tomorrow, we will get SOURCE_FILE_20140118.dat etc. Every day we will receive one file.
We may have a requirement that to take all the files which are created after a specific time based on file created time from UNIX directory.
Step 1: create a dummy file with specific time using TOUCH command.
Syntax:
touch -t 'YYYYMMDDHH24MM.SS' dummy.dat
We should pass the date in YYYYMMDDHH24MM.SS format.
Example:
1) If you give touch -t '201401240134.55' dummy.dat then the dummy file will be created and created time will be Jan 24, 2014.
2) If you give touch -t '201401070134.55' dummy.dat then the dummy file will be created and created time will be Jan 07, 2014.
We can see the created/modification time using ls –ltr command in UNIX.
If we want to take all the files which are created after Jan 7th, 2014 01:34.55, then we can use
touch -t '201401070134.55' dummy.dat
Step 2: After done with the step 1, now we have to find the files which are created after Jan 7th, 2014 01:34.55. We can find using “find” command in UNIX.
For the above requirement, we can use below command.
If we are in the directory where we have source files then use
find ./SOURCE_FILE_*.dat –newer dummy.dat
If we are not in the directory where we have source files and source files are there in /infa/sourcefiles then use find /infa/sourcefiles /SOURCE_FILE_*.dat –newer dummy.dat
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