From: gwtmp01@...
Date: 2006-08-16T06:25:02+09:00
Subject: Re: How do I get the creation date of a file?


On Aug 15, 2006, at 5:05 PM, marek4130@gmail.com wrote:

> Ruby's file class has three methods for querying time related data:
> atime, ctime and mtime. None of these will give me the creation  
> date of
> a file. Anyone got a clue?

There is no such thing as a creation time of a file.  That is to say  
such information
isn't stored in the filesystem.  If you think about it, it is a  
somewhat vague notion.
What should be the creation time of a file that was restored from a  
backup tape/disk?
Or a file that is copied from one computer to another?  Do you want  
the time
the file was created on the original machine, or the time it was  
created on the
current machine?

BTW, this isn't a Ruby issue.  The atime, ctime, and mtime methods you
mention are just wrappers over the underlying information provided by
Posix-type file systems.  Ruby is just a conduit for the information  
in this case
and it can't provide information like the 'create time' if it doesn't  
already exist
in the underlying filesystem.

Gary Wright