DataFlex

Get a Remote File's Creation Time

Demonstrates the Chilkat SFtp.GetFileCreateTimeStr method, which returns a remote file's creation date and time. The arguments are the remote path (or handle), whether symbolic links are followed, and whether the first argument is a handle.

Background: Creation time is the least universally available of the three timestamps: many Unix filesystems historically tracked only modified and accessed times, so a server may return nothing or a placeholder. Where it is supported it is genuinely useful — it does not change when a file is edited, unlike the modified time — but code should tolerate its absence rather than depend on it.

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Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Boolean iSuccess
    Handle hoSftp
    Integer iPort
    String sPassword
    Boolean iBFollowLinks
    Boolean iBIsHandle
    String sCreateTime
    String sTemp1
    Boolean bTemp1

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the SFtp.GetFileCreateTimeStr method, which returns a remote file's creation date
    //  and time.  The 1st argument is the remote path (or handle), the 2nd selects whether symbolic
    //  links are followed, and the 3rd indicates whether the 1st argument is a handle.

    Get Create (RefClass(cComChilkatSFtp)) To hoSftp
    If (Not(IsComObjectCreated(hoSftp))) Begin
        Send CreateComObject of hoSftp
    End

    //  Connect, authenticate, and initialize the SFTP subsystem.
    Move 22 To iPort
    Get ComConnect Of hoSftp "sftp.example.com" iPort To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSftp To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
    //  from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
    Move "mySshPassword" To sPassword

    Get ComAuthenticatePw Of hoSftp "mySshLogin" sPassword To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSftp To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Get ComInitializeSftp Of hoSftp To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSftp To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  The 2nd argument (bFollowLinks) selects whether a symbolic link is followed to its target.
    //  The 3rd argument (bIsHandle) is False here because the 1st argument is a path, not an
    //  open handle.
    Move True To iBFollowLinks
    Move False To iBIsHandle

    Get ComGetFileCreateTimeStr Of hoSftp "subdir/report.pdf" iBFollowLinks iBIsHandle To sCreateTime
    Get ComLastMethodSuccess Of hoSftp To bTemp1
    If (bTemp1 = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSftp To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Showln "Created: " sCreateTime

    //  Note: Not all servers and filesystems record a creation time.

    Send ComDisconnect To hoSftp


End_Procedure