must Linux really change file-date when copying?

Sasie · 03-06-2007, 11:57 PM

Hi all,

In SuSe-10.1 everytime I copy a file the file-date changes to become the current date/time. This is very annoying.

Is there something (environment switch maybe?) that I can set to stop the file-date from changing?

tia

Sasie

Sepero · 03-07-2007, 12:13 AM

Are you using Gnome(Nautilus) or KDE(Konqueror) to copy the files?

jlliagre · 03-07-2007, 12:38 AM

Updating the file timestamp is cp standard behavior. If you use the command line, add the "-p" option to the cp command to preserve it.

AwesomeMachine · 03-07-2007, 03:05 AM

There are three date type file attributes: Creation date, last access, and last modified. Between those three you probably have everything you need, even if cp changes the last access date and time.

jlliagre · 03-07-2007, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwesomeMachine

There are three date type file attributes: Creation date, last access, and last modified.

Creation timestamp isn't something required to be stored by a standard compliant UNIX, so there are very few filesystems, if any, that actually allow it.

nx5000 · 03-07-2007, 11:01 AM

True, I have never seen creation time stored.

For cp, I use cp -a which is an alias for cp -dpR

Sasie · 03-12-2007, 09:36 PM

to answer Sepero's Q:

***** I am using KDE (Konqueror) *****

can it be made to not change displayed file when copying files?