[SOLVED] Comparing two directory trees. Any utility?

stf92 · 01-01-2013, 07:18 PM

Slackware 14.0

Hi:
I copied (cp -r) /STORE1, which is on a DVD, to the hard disk. I forgot to use the -a option, which preserves dates and after that, I modified some of the files. As a result, all the files in hdd://STORE1 have the current date!

I cannot just recopy the DVD or else I would lose the modifications. What I need then is a program that compares two trees and prints the names of the files with different time-stamps (or different sizes). Is there any linux command like that?

astrogeek · 01-01-2013, 07:24 PM

I use

Code:

diff -rq tree1 tree2 | sort

To compare trees within my own project environments.

This will show you all files that are different, or files that only exist in one tree or the other.

This might do what you need.

stf92 · 01-01-2013, 07:46 PM

Thank you. I expect it does not compare the file contents but only there sizes or time-stamps or something else. Else, it would take too long.

beder · 01-01-2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

I expect it does not compare the file contents but only there sizes or time-stamps or something else. Else, it would take too long.

Bad news from "man diff"

Code:

DESCRIPTION
       Compare FILES line by line.

astrogeek · 01-01-2013, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

Thank you. I expect it does not compare the file contents but only there sizes or time-stamps or something else. Else, it would take too long.

Yes it does compare their contents.

astrogeek · 01-01-2013, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

Thank you. I expect it does not compare the file contents but only there sizes or time-stamps or something else. Else, it would take too long.

I keep diff -rq aliased as rdiff on my own systems and use it on some large trees across NFS mounts - it is 'fast enough'. I expect that the speed of the DVD drive would be more of a limiting factor.

Of course only you can judge what is 'too long' for your own use. But you only have to type a few characters to find out.

Have you tried it yet?

stf92 · 01-01-2013, 08:14 PM

Yes, I have, and lasted much less than expected. Thanks again.

astrogeek · 01-01-2013, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

Yes, I have, and lasted much less than expected. Thanks again.

Glad that worked!

zerouno · 01-04-2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

Slackware 14.0

Hi:
I copied (cp -r) /STORE1, which is on a DVD, to the hard disk. I forgot to use the -a option, which preserves dates and after that, I modified some of the files. As a result, all the files in hdd://STORE1 have the current date!

I cannot just recopy the DVD or else I would lose the modifications. What I need then is a program that compares two trees and prints the names of the files with different time-stamps (or different sizes). Is there any linux command like that?

to reset timestamp

Code:

# cd /STORE1
# find . -exec touch -r "{}" "/destSTORE1/{}" \;

jmccue · 01-04-2013, 11:46 AM

Maybe do something like this under both directories:

Code:

find . -type f -exec ls --time-style='+%Y%m%d-%H%M%S' -l '{}' \;

format the two files via awk(1), sort and do a diff of the two files you created

John