A better touch than provided by busybox

touch.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import io, os, sys

from argparse import ArgumentParser
from calendar import timegm
from time import gmtime, localtime, mktime, strftime, strptime

def touchUTCString(t):
    return timegm(strptime(t, '%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %Z'))

def touchTimeSpec(t):
    r = None
    try:
        r = mktime(strptime(t, '%Y%m%d%H%M.%S'))
    except ValueError:
        r = mktime(strptime(t, '%Y%m%d%H%M'))
    return r

parser = ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
parser.add_argument('--help', action='help')
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group.add_argument('-a', action='store_true')
group.add_argument('-m', action='store_true')
parser.add_argument('-c', action='store_true')
# Python 2.7 os.utime won't operate on symlinks
# This is here for -r only at this point.
parser.add_argument('-h', action='store_true')
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group.add_argument('-r', metavar='FILE')
group.add_argument('-d', metavar='DATETIME', type=touchUTCString)
group.add_argument('-t', metavar='CCYYMMDDhhmm[.ss]', type=touchTimeSpec)
parser.add_argument('files', nargs='+', metavar='FILE')

def addtimes(args):
    args.atime = None
    args.mtime = None
    if args.r:
        if args.h:
            stat = os.lstat
        else:
            stat = os.stat
        try:
            stats = stat(args.r)
            args.atime = stats.st_atime
            args.mtime = stats.st_mtime
        except:
            pass
    elif args.t:
        args.atime = args.t
        args.mtime = args.t
    elif args.d:
        args.atime = args.d
        args.mtime = args.d

def touch(path, atime=None, mtime=None):
    global args

    if args.h:
        exists = os.path.lexists
        stat = os.lstat

        # -h doesn't create either
        if not (exists(path) and os.path.exists(path)):
            return False
        # Python 2.7 os.utime doesn't work on links.
        stat = os.stat
    else:
        exists = os.path.exists
        stat = os.stat

    if args.c and not exists(path):
        return True

    if args.a:
        atime = mktime(localtime())
        mtime = None
    if args.m:
        atime = None
        mtime = mktime(localtime())

    with io.open(path, 'ab'):
        if atime or mtime:
            stats = stat(path)
            utimes = (atime or stats.st_atime, mtime or stats.st_mtime)
        else:
            utimes = None
        os.utime(path, utimes)

    return True

if '__main__' == __name__:
    args = parser.parse_args()
    addtimes(args)
    allok = True
    for file in args.files:
        allok = touch(file, args.atime, args.mtime) and allok
    if not allok:
        sys.exit(1)
    sys.exit(0)