[RESOLVED] unlink files on server by time of creation

OwenTheSamoan

I'm storing thousands of text files on my server in folders with two subdirectories.
Example: path Mail/a_directory/sub_directory.

Is it possible to create a script that would delete files from these directories that are older than 60 days by using the information gained by using stat() or lstat() functions?

Thanks in advance,
Owen The Samoan

bpat1434

Simple answer: Yes

You'd have to use either the [man]dir[/man] object or use a [man]fopen/man and [man]fread/man loop or two. Just look for files with a [man]filemtime/man or if you're not modifying the files ever, use [man]filectime/man to get the last modifed or created time.

Then if it's less than 60 days, go ahead and delete it. Something as simple an example i can give is:

function del60($path)
{
    $dir = dir($path);

while(false != ($entry = $dir->read()))
{
    if($entry == '.' || $entry == '..')
        continue;

    if(is_dir($path.'/'.$entry))
        del60($path.'/'.$entry);

    $limit = (60*60*24*60); // 60 days measured in seconds
    if(filectime($path.'/'.$entry) < $limit)
    {
        if(filemtime($path.'/'.$entry) < $limit)
            unlink($path.'/'.$entry);
    }
}
$dir->close();
}


del60('Mail/a_directory');

OwenTheSamoan

Thank you. I would never have figured this out on my own. I have just tried the script, but the files are not deleting. I am getting no errors and I checked the file path. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

bradgrafelman

I believe bpat had some logic errors... probably meant this:

function del60($path)
{
    $dir = dir($path);

while(false != ($entry = $dir->read()))
{
    if($entry == '.' || $entry == '..')
        continue;

    if(is_dir($path.'/'.$entry))
        del60($path.'/'.$entry);

    $limit = (60*60*24*60); // 60 days measured in seconds
    if((time() - filectime($path.'/'.$entry)) > $limit || (time() - filemtime($path.'/'.$entry)) > $limit)
        unlink($path.'/'.$entry);
}
$dir->close();
}

OwenTheSamoan

I tried your version and it deleted every file in the folder. Don't worry, I was using a test folder. I change this section a bit and took out the || part of the if statement and changed it to this and it worked perfectly.

if((time() - filectime($path.'/'.$entry)) > $limit)
unlink($path.'/'.$entry);

Thanks everyone!
Owen The Samoan

bpat1434

Heh... that's what I get for rushing through code as I'm running late to class 😉 Thanks for the quick check Brad.