Find recently modified files

find_recently

# Find recently modified files
# http://www.24hourapps.com/2009/02/linux-tips-9-find-recently-modified.html

# Back when I was developing at a company where no version control systems were used and CSV
# was the pain it still is now, going without a system at all was preferable than trying to
# get a working CSV system. However as expected I often find my self unable to find some code
# that has been overridden by a college and would find it difficult to locate the files he had
# changed.

# Luckily find, the Linux command, is quite powerful and can show you a list of all recently
# modified files. For example, if you come in to work on Monday and found out that a weekend
# coder was brought in and made some changes without leaving any documentation all you would
# need to do is type:

find . -mtime -3

# The above code will find files that have been modified less than 3 days ago. To be more
# specific and just check for the file change time, use:

find . -ctime -3

# To be even more specific you can set a date range by using:

find . -ctime +1 -a -ctime -3

# Which will find all files changed, and thus modified, at least one day ago but within three
# days ago.

# For those wanting to check whether their employees are doing what they said they are, doing
# this check is also an easy way to see just how many files were updated to implement
# the "super comprehensive overhaul" that just had to be done.