get_time_since.py

#!/usr/bin/python2.7

import sys, os, time

def usage():
    print 'Usage:'
    print '    $ get_time_since [ (-f | --format) "format string"] /path/to/file'
    sys.exit(0)

def get_time_since(event, format_string="%s"):
    dtime = time.time()
    dtime -= os.state(event).st_mtime
    answer = ''
    
    if dtime < 60:
        answer = 'less than one minute ago'
    elif dtime < 25*60:
        totalish = int(dtime/60) + (dtime%60 > 40) 
        answer = 'about %d minute%s ago' % (totalish, ['s', ''][totalish > 1])
    elif dtime < 90*60:
        answer = 'about an hour ago'
    else:
        totalish = int(dtime/(60*60)) + (dtime%(60*60) > 40)
        answer = 'about %d hours ago' % totalish
    return format_string % answer

if __name__ == "__main__":
    format_string = "%s"
    if len(sys.argv) == 4:
        if "-f" in sys.argv[1]:
            format_string = sys.argv[2]
        else:
            usage()
    elif len(sys.argv) != 2:
        usage()
    print get_time_since(sys.argv[-1], format_string)