How to touch a file to a certain datetime in Python?

Question

In Linux, I can change the creation date of a file using touch:

touch -a -m -t 201512180130.09 file.txt

In Python, I can use the touch command to change the creation date, but I don't see any arguments to set it to a different date than the current one.

from pathlib import Path
Path('path/to/file.txt').touch()

How can I set the date in Python?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1158076/implement-touch-using-python — Shravan Yadav, Feb 25 '18 at 11:54
Why on earth was this downvoted? @ShravanYadav: The question you linked to is just about touching a file, not about setting a timestamp. — Michael Scheper, Oct 30 '18 at 14:18
I have not downvoted it. Why should I downvote and put an answer to it? — Shravan Yadav, Oct 31 '18 at 09:44

Shravan Yadav · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-25T12:03:15.897

4

You can also call the touch command in python

from subprocess import call
call(["touch","-a","-m","-t","201512180130.09","file.txt"])

edited Feb 25 '18 at 12:03

answered Feb 25 '18 at 11:49

Shravan Yadav

1

sorry there is already answer to this https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1158076/implement-touch-using-python – Shravan Yadav Feb 25 '18 at 11:54
1

This is not a cross-platform solution, and you've linked to a question, not an answer. The question isn't even the same; it's just about touching, not changing a file's timestamp. – Michael Scheper Oct 30 '18 at 14:20

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 13 '20 at 15:32

4

You can use os.utime to set the access and modified times of a file.

answered Nov 13 '20 at 15:32

stenci

2 Answers2