You are visitor number since 19 August 2006

Date: 16 July 2007

Author: Howard Kaikow <kaikow@standards.com>

Subject: Change Path Times Program

Download the latest version of the Change Path Times Program

Also, see the Change File Times ("File Times") program

Overview

There are circumstances in which "incorrect" file times are recorded. These include:

Copying a file, or directory, may not preserve the original times for the copied files or directory.
Restoring files, or directories, from a backup might not preserve the original times for the restored files or directories.
Restoring files, or directories, from a backup might result in UTC times being used instead of the original times.

Subject to restrictions imposed by Microsoft's software, the Change Path Times ("Path Times") program may be used to restore the Access, Creation, and Modification times for files in a path, and subdirectories of the path (or drive) to the times in another path (or drive). The program should work with files, directory files, file links, directory links and URL links. In this document, statements about files also apply to directory files and links.

Requirements

The program was compiled using Microsoft Visual Basic 6 (with SP 6).

In order to run this program, you will need to have the following installed:

Windows 2000, or later.
Either Microsoft Visual Basic 6 or the Microsoft Visual Basic 6 run-time files: If you have neither, then you can download the Visual Basic 6 run-time files by following the instructions in VBRun60.exe Installs Visual Basic 6.0 Run-Time Files.

Restrictions

I have developed the program using Microsoft Windows 2000. The program will not work on operating systems older than Microsoft Windows 2000.

The Forms used by this program were designed using a screen resolution of 1280 x 1024, hopefully, there will be no problems at other screen resolutions.

Output

The program creates a log file named LogChangePathTimes.txt. The file will be created in the directory in which ChangePathTimes.exe is installed. If the file does not exist, the file will be created by the program. If the file exists, the program will append to the end of the file.

The log file is very important, and should be checked after running the program. The log file lists the times that were changed, and any errors encountered. If you inadvertently change a file time, the information in the log file may be used to restore the file times to a one second resolution.

Running the program

There is no installaton necessary. You may run the program by double-clicking on the ChangePathTimes.exe file, or by using a shortcut to that file.

When you run the program, a Form will be displayed that looks something like the following.

You may terminate the program by clicking on the Exit button.

Clicking on the Update Lists button will cause the lists to be updated and reset. If logical drives are added, or removed, while the program is running, you must tell the program to update the drive lists.

Clicking on the Modify Times button will cause the program to attempt to copy times from files in one path ("source path") to the corresponding files in the other path ("destination path").

Selecting Log unchanged will cause the log file to list the files, directories, or files and directories for which times were not changed.

When you click on the Modify Times button, a Form will be displayed that looks something like the following.

If you have choosen to restore the times for directories, the program will make a second pass on the directories in an attempt to restore the Access Times.

Upon completion, you may select a pair of paths and again click on the Modify Times button.

Count	Interpretation
Processed	Number of files processed in the destination path.
Modified	Number of files in the destination path that had all file times changed to those of the corresponding file in the source path.
Skipped	Number of files in the destination path that could not be modified because the file in the destination path could not be accessed.
Could not compare	Number of files in the destination path that could not be modified because the corresponding file in the source path could not be accessed.
Could not change	Number of files in the destination path for which some times could not be modified.
Not changed	Number of files in the destination path that already had the same times as the corresponding file in the source path.

Issues

Issue with virtual volumes mounted from Ghost 10:
Click here to see a description of a Ghost 10 issue that may affect the Path Times program.