Moving a folder after a time of inactivity
lazarus / 34-Windows

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sblisesivdin · 2020-03-23 10:36

Hello dear all,

I am trying to write a small program controlling my scientific
calculations. I can add, copy remove files and folders with
controlling many things. However, I need to control a folder with
files and when any of the files are not accessed (mostly accessed for
writing) for a while (for example 30mins) I want to move the files to
another folder.

The thing is how can I filter the folder for inactivity?

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balazsszekely · 2020-03-23 10:58

@sblisesivdin

Create a hash list with all the files in the folder, when a particular
file changes the hash will also change. All you have to do is compare
two hash lists from time to time. Use the TFPHashList from contnrs.

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sblisesivdin · 2020-03-23 11:27

Thank you for this very good idea. I stuck with classical folder
operations and this is what I am searching for.

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dbannon · 2020-03-23 11:33

sblisesivdin,  I note you say "mostly accessed for writing", if that
"mostly" means you also need to be aware of another process reading,
its a bit hard. Reading won't change the hash for example.

Important question - what operating system are you using ?  On linux,
you can check the atime of all the files, would be a very fast
process, that would tell you if the files had been written to or
read.  On almost all systems, atime is enabled by default.  I expect
(but don't know for sure) that MacOS will also provide atime.

I am no windows expert but I believe NTFS does not offer atime. 
Almost impossible to tell if the file has been read.  I think....

Davo

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balazsszekely · 2020-03-23 11:40

QuoteThank you for this very good idea. I stuck with classical folder
operations and this is what I am searching for.Once a forum user asked
for an application which compares two folders, then list the same
files. I know it's not exactly what are you after, but is not to
different either. Please download and test attached project.

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dbannon · 2020-03-23 11:48

Actually, looks like I am wrong, NTFS does have an atime attribute
now.

Reading that attribute would be a lot faster than reading all of all
the files to generate a hash.

Davo

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ASerge · 2020-03-23 20:02

Quote from: sblisesivdin on March 23, 2020, 11:36:31 amHello dear all,

I am trying to write a small program controlling my scientific
calculations. I can add, copy remove files and folders with
controlling many things. However, I need to control a folder with
files and when any of the files are not accessed (mostly accessed for
writing) for a while (for example 30mins) I want to move the files to
another folder.

The thing is how can I filter the folder for inactivity?

See Watching a folder for changes with DirWatch.