How can I use inotify-tools to have an email sent to me when a file in a directory has been added?

Question

Users sometimes add files to a directory on a linux server. I was looking at ways to be informed when a file has been added to this directory. I found inotify-tools:

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

But I am not too sure how to go about using it. I can't seem to find a proper documentation on it.

I would appreciate it if anyone with experience in it could guide me.

You could just make that directory read-only, so that users themselves send you emails when they want to put something there. — Maxim Egorushkin, Aug 09 '11 at 13:42

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 09 '11 at 13:39

2

With inotifywait you can do what you want, check the manual page.

answered Aug 09 '11 at 13:39

Bart Vanherck

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kenorb · Answer 2 · 2016-07-20T12:32:54.860

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Try using entr, e.g.

while true; do find path/ | entr -d echo Changed | mail foo@example.com; done

or:

while true; do ls path/* | entr -pd echo Changed | mail foo@example.com; done

edited Jul 20 '16 at 12:32

answered Jul 06 '16 at 17:31

kenorb

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How can I use inotify-tools to have an email sent to me when a file in a directory has been added?

2 Answers2