Background

I need to find files that I have worked on lately.

 

OS

OS  Linux

Find Command

Samples

Sample – Find Files modified In the Last 3 Days

Outline

1. Folder
   • Folder is .
     • . here means current folder
2. Type
   • Type is f
     • Type is f as in file
3. iname
   • iname means case insensitive name
     • iname is *.sql
4. mtime
   • mtime means modification time
     • mtime  -N ( -3 ) means modified in the last N ( 3 ) days

Code

find . -type f -iname *.sql -mtime -3

 

MS Windows ( MS DOS )

Find Command

The Find command does not have an option that considers date.

ForFiles Command

Samples

Sample – Find Files Touched Since Specific Date

Outline

1. /P
   • Path is .
     • . here means current folder
2. Sub Folder
   • /S
     • Include sub-folder
3. File Mask
   • /M stands for file mask
     • .M is *.sql
4. /D
   • /D is file’s modification time
     • +06/07//2022 means file’s modified since 2022-June-6th
     • –06/07//2022 means file’s modified prior to 2022-June-6th

Code

forfiles /P . /S /M *.sql /D +06/07/2022

Explanation

1. Output Format
   • “Bare” File Names returned
   • Folder Structure is not returned

Sample – Find Files Touched Prior To Number of Days

Outline

1. /P
   • Path is .
     • . here means current folder
2. Sub Folder
   • /S
     • Include sub-folder
3. File Mask
   • /M stands for file mask
     • .M is *.sql
4. /D
   • /D is file’s modification time
     • -3 means file’s modified prior to 3 days ago

Code

forfiles /P . /S /M *.sql /D -3

Sample – Find Files Touched Post N Days

Outline

1. /P
   • Path is .
     • . here means current folder
2. Sub Folder
   • /S
     • Include sub-folder
3. File Mask
   • /M stands for file mask
     • .M is *.sql
4. /D
   • /D is file’s modification time
     • +0 means file’s modified since the the beginning of the current day

Code

forfiles /P . /S /M *.sql /D +0

Summary

Unfortunately, the Microsoft’s implementation has significant short comings.

Find

1. Does not have a date argument

ForFiles

1. Absolute Dates
   • Supports absolute date
     • To flag prior files, precede absolute date with minus sign ( – )
     • To flag successive files, precede absolute date with minus sign ( + )
2.  Relative
   • Supports tagging files pre N days
   • Does not support tagging files post N days
     • Except when N is zero ( 0 ) days
       • For Today, you will pass in 0

References

1. ForFiles
   • ForFiles
     Link