Python, check when file is saved

Question

The goal is to do something every time a file from a list is modified (saved).

I have no idea to proceed. The end goal should be something like this:

files = ['file1.txt', 'file2.txt', 'file3,txt']

if (one of the files in files is modified):
    Print '%s has been modified' % (filename)

I mean that i want to check if someone saves the file. So if someone edits the file and saves it, the program will print out that the file has been modified — VictorVH, Jul 13 '14 at 22:40
I would prefer that it worked on the most popular pc operating systems, if that is not possible, then windows — VictorVH, Jul 13 '14 at 22:41
maybe use `os.path.getmtime(file)` and compare last to current — Padraic Cunningham, Jul 13 '14 at 22:47
They are not done by any script. And i was also wondering, if i have to check the time on every file, won't it use a lot of processing power? — VictorVH, Jul 13 '14 at 22:54
I added a simple answer, I doubt for 10 files you have to worry too much about your processor. You could also pickle the result and run a script at a certain time of the day and compare that way, there are basically a lot of different ways to do what you want. — Padraic Cunningham, Jul 13 '14 at 23:06

Padraic Cunningham · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-13T23:14:29.143

1

This will check the times using a dict and print any modified files:

 import os.path, time
files = ['file1.txt', 'file2.txt', 'file3,txt']
changes =  {"file1.txt":os.path.getmtime("file1.txt"),"file2.txt":os.path.getmtime("file2.txt"),"file3.txt":os.path.getmtime("file3.txt")}
while True:
    for f in files:
        if changes.get(f) < os.path.getmtime(f):
            print "File {} has been modified".format(f)
            changes[f] = os.path.getmtime(f)
        else:
            print "No changes, going to sleep."
    time.sleep(10)

edited Jul 13 '14 at 23:14

answered Jul 13 '14 at 23:06

Padraic Cunningham

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When does it update the time in changes? – VictorVH Jul 13 '14 at 23:13
@VictorVH, forgot that part! I added the line. – Padraic Cunningham Jul 13 '14 at 23:14
Thank you, i thought there was something i wasn't seeing – VictorVH Jul 13 '14 at 23:15
No worries, you're welcome. I threw it together a bit too quick. – Padraic Cunningham Jul 13 '14 at 23:18

Python, check when file is saved

1 Answers1