What happens if we use touch command while the file already exists
I already have a file named param.txt with some data on it. If I run
touch param.txt in the same folder will my data get lost?
touch
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
add a comment |
I already have a file named param.txt with some data on it. If I run
touch param.txt in the same folder will my data get lost?
touch
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
1
Updates the timestamp. First line of man pageUpdate the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time.
– 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41
add a comment |
I already have a file named param.txt with some data on it. If I run
touch param.txt in the same folder will my data get lost?
touch
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
I already have a file named param.txt with some data on it. If I run
touch param.txt in the same folder will my data get lost?
touch
touch
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
edited Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
Kusalananda
134k17255418
134k17255418
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
asked Feb 28 '18 at 15:40
RajeshRajesh
3112
3112
1
Updates the timestamp. First line of man pageUpdate the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time.
– 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41
add a comment |
1
Updates the timestamp. First line of man pageUpdate the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time.
– 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41
1
1
Updates the timestamp. First line of man page
Update the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time. – 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41
Updates the timestamp. First line of man page
Update the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time. – 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The contents of the file will not be lost, and it won't even be modified. The only thing that happens when you run touch on an already existing file is that the file's access and modification timestamps are updated to the current time.
This is explained in the touch manual (man touch).
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose oftouch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.
– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find totouchis in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless-cwas used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?
– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
The contents of the file will not be lost, and it won't even be modified. The only thing that happens when you run touch on an already existing file is that the file's access and modification timestamps are updated to the current time.
This is explained in the touch manual (man touch).
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose oftouch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.
– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find totouchis in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless-cwas used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?
– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
add a comment |
The contents of the file will not be lost, and it won't even be modified. The only thing that happens when you run touch on an already existing file is that the file's access and modification timestamps are updated to the current time.
This is explained in the touch manual (man touch).
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose oftouch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.
– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find totouchis in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless-cwas used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?
– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
add a comment |
The contents of the file will not be lost, and it won't even be modified. The only thing that happens when you run touch on an already existing file is that the file's access and modification timestamps are updated to the current time.
This is explained in the touch manual (man touch).
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
The contents of the file will not be lost, and it won't even be modified. The only thing that happens when you run touch on an already existing file is that the file's access and modification timestamps are updated to the current time.
This is explained in the touch manual (man touch).
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
edited Feb 18 at 10:13
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
answered Feb 28 '18 at 15:42
KusalanandaKusalananda
134k17255418
134k17255418
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose oftouch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.
– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find totouchis in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless-cwas used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?
– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
add a comment |
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose oftouch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.
– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find totouchis in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless-cwas used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?
– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
5
5
and this is the primary (or original) purpose of
touch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
and this is the primary (or original) purpose of
touch. That it creates the file if not already existing is secondary.– user4556274
Feb 28 '18 at 15:43
1
1
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find to
touch is in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless -c was used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
@user4556274 Hmm... The earliest reference I can find to
touch is in Bell Labs V7 Unix, in which it did create the file unless -c was used. But you may not have implied that it couldn't create files from the start?– Kusalananda
Feb 28 '18 at 15:52
add a comment |
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1
Updates the timestamp. First line of man page
Update the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time.– 123
Feb 28 '18 at 15:41