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Number   :  512
Date     :  2001-08-03
Author   :  Kan Yabumoto
Subject  :  Re: maybe stupid question but......
Size(KB) :  1



Dan,

You are right that you can change the system time and perform
whatever actions like copying files and setting the time back
to manipulate certain timestamps as a last resort technique.
We have done this in the past in the DOS environment (but
we usually ended up with inaccuracy of up to 2 seconds).

As Rotaiv said, changing the system time for the sake of some
file-management purposes comes with adverse effects. In a multi-
tasking environment, it is too risky to do. In the past, we were
tempted to do just that in order to set the timestamp of a directory
in the Win9x environment. Even though it can be done (even for
a fraction of a second), we were too afraid for any side effects
exactly like those mentioned by rotaiv. Fortunately, under the
Win NT/2000/XP, XXCOPY has a legitimate way to set/change the
timestamp of the directory.

In the case of changing the creation of time a file (or directory
for that matter), is quite different. If we decide to support
the function, we do not have to resort to the dangerous scheme
of changing the system time in order to achieve that. There is
an official Win32 API which allows XXCOPY to set/modify the
creation time.

I have been ambivalent (as stated in my last post) about the
idea of changing the file-creation date. In accordance with
the spirit of XXCOPY (to include everything but the kitchen
sink), it should support this feature and we are inclined to
do so...

Kan Yabumoto
==============================================================

At 2001-08-03 07:16, Dan Anderson wrote:
>I recognize that this is not an xxcopy-specific approach, but can the
>creation date of specific files be altered by changing the date on the
>computer, then re-saving the file, and changing the computer date back
>again? My recollection is that there are hazards with doing this sort of
>thing but I don't recall what they would be.
>
>...Dan



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