Update a file depending on last modified, using Python

Question

During a running flow, I get a path to a file x.

As a defense mechanism, since it's a part of code that might crash often and rerun itself, after I get this path x, I wish to check this file and see If it was last modified in the last hour.

If it was updated/ changed in the last hour, it means this service is rerunning after a crash and I do not want to call update_file(x, new_data).

If it was updated more than an hour ago, it means I want to override this file with the new data and call update_file(x, new_data).

maybe this can help docs.python.org/3/library/os.path.html#os.path.getmtime. But please explain a bit more what you expect and what you've already tried — PRMoureu
– PRMoureu, Commented Sep 8, 2019 at 8:58
what have you tried and how the results were different from what you expected? — lenik
– lenik, Commented Sep 8, 2019 at 9:01
I managed to get the time, but I was not successful with comparing that time and now, as @lenik showed in his answer. Thanks. — Zusman
– Zusman, Commented Sep 8, 2019 at 9:06

lenik · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-08 09:04:13Z

2

This should do the trick:

import os, time

if os.path.getmtime( x ) + 3600 < time.time() :
    update_the_file( ... )
else :
    # don't update
    pass

answered Sep 8, 2019 at 9:04

lenik

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