FInding dates on files
 

Hello

I have some files with the date included in the filename

the format is

limited_file_11012007.dat
so this is the 11th January 2007

I have numerous files eg

limited_file_23012006.dat
limited_file_02122005.dat
limited_file_23012006.dat
limited_file_31032006.dat

I want to pick the file that is the closet day after today, ie todays date would be 11012007

How can i do this, i have tried all sorts of things, but it looks like a big bag of spanners.?

Any help appreciated

Re: FInding dates on files
 

This should do the trick. Commented the last bit just in case you're not familiar with ruby.

#!/usr/bin/ruby



require 'find'



directory = "/home/peter/Ruby/test_data"

files = Array.new



#first get a list of the files



Find.find(directory) do |filename|

        filename.each do |f|

                files << f if /\.dat/ =~ f

        end

end



#to hold the difference, closest file name and its difference in time from today

diff, closest, closest_diff = nil



files.each do |f|

        #get the part of the string following the last /  

        filename = f.split("/")[-1]

        #create a time using the info in the filename

        x = Time.utc(filename.slice(17,4), filename.slice(15,2), filename.slice(13,2))

        #if the time is greater than now

        if x > Time.now

                #calculate the difference

                diff = x - Time.now

                if closest.nil?

                #if closest is empty (ie we are checking the first file)

                        closest = f

                        closest_diff = diff

                else

                #otherwise if the difference is smaller than the closest diff update our variables

                        closest = f if diff < closest_diff

                        closest_diff = diff

                end

        end



end



puts closest