delete file more than 50 days

christina_rules · 05-23-2006, 09:16 PM

i need some help here

1. how can i delete file more than 50 days?

2. what is the difference between -ctime and -mtime?

thanks

chrism01 · 05-23-2006, 09:28 PM

Use the find cmd: http://www.computerhope.com/unix/ufind.htm

macemoneta · 05-23-2006, 09:34 PM

Code:

/usr/bin/find /somedir/ -daystart -mtime +50 -type f -exec /bin/rm -f {} \;

The above will delete files older than 50 days in directory '/somedir'.

The ctime is the last time the inode for a file (it's entry in the filesystem) was last changed. The mtime is when the file was last modified. You are almost always interested in the mtime.

christina_rules · 05-24-2006, 12:26 AM

ok..but can i know why the below codes is needed?

Quote:

/usr/bin/

i mean can i just find . -daystart -mtime +50 -type f -exec rm{} \;?

chrism01 · 05-24-2006, 02:06 AM

find is usually in /usr/bin, so as long as it's in your PATH var, you'll be fine using the short form.
For the paranoid, you always specify the full path in case someone's managed to hack your PATH var, which is also why root user dosn't have '.' ie current dir in PATH.
Actually (just checked), my normal user doesn't either....

jschiwal · 05-24-2006, 02:21 AM

There are 3 types of timestamps in linux.

atime: the time a file was last accessed
mtime: the time the file was last modified
ctime: the time the inode was altered. This can happen by either changing permissions for a file or renaming it.

christina_rules · 05-24-2006, 03:13 AM

i've created a file yesterday 23 may 2006 14:26 so to try chrism01's code but alter it to this:

find . -daystart -mtime +1 -type f -exec rm -f {} \;

but it doesn't work..the file still exists..how?

about explanation of the timestamps..thanks