rdist using notify and a time-stamp file
 

Seemingly using rdist with the notify option such as the following in my distfile (${FILES}) :: ./ping-dist.timestamp
notify patchettlh@aetna.com ;

only produces a notification email when the time-stamp file is OLDER than the file(s) to be transferred.

My testing results:

1) a time-stamp file OLDER than the file to be transferred - file is transferred and an email notification is sent

2) a time-stamp file NEWER than the file to be transferred - file is transferred but receive no email notification

Also noticed that the time-stamp file seems to be updated each time the rdist is executed - makes sense, I think because
it is supposed to control the list of files transferred but that does not bear out with my testing, the file(s) is transferred anyway irregardless of the time-stamp file.

Has anyone come across this behavior before and can explain it? Thank you.