how to detect if a file has been modified from c++

[jarrax]

hi

problem: I am extending a lua script engine. I would like the engine to be able to detect at runtime if a script has been modified and if so reload it. However I don't know how to detect if a file has been modified.

my idea: My idea was that whenever I run/load the script I use c++'s file handing functions to get a timestamp of when the file was last modified. This timestamp is then compared with the former timestamp (unless it is the first time) and saved as the new timestamp. However I have not been able to find any kind of support for such timestamps in my books or on the web.

Any help or pointer would be appriciated.

thanks in advance

[Nick Evan]

First things first: What Operating System are you using?

[jarrax]

I am using Ubuntu 8.10.

[Nick Evan]

In that case use inotify . With inotify you can check in your program if changes have been made to a directory or file. No need for manual timestamp checking whatsoever! Example program is on page I linked to.