List the latest file

[Per Arvidsson]

In DCL how can I get the latest created file on a directory?

[Joseph Huber_1 · Accepted solution]

You can write a DCL command file:

lastfile=""
last="17-NOV-1858"
last=f$cvtim(last,"COMPARISON")

Loop with file=f$search("*.*") over the directory,
get the creation date cdt=f$file(file,"CDT")
convert the date to comparison cdt=f$cvtim(cdt,"COMPARISON")
Compare to the last time saved
Set last to cdt if cdt .ges. last
Set lastfile to file in this case
Continue loop.

Or search on the VMS freeware disks for the program DIRBYDATE: it does not give You just the latest, but a directory listing with the latest first or last in the list.

[Hakan Zanderau ( Anders]

Per,

What are you trying to do ?
We need more detailed information.

Hakan

Ps. Jobbade tidigare på VMS-supporten hos Digital/Compaq/HP. Ds.

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Per,

You could use QDSB, downloadable from
http://www.quadratrix.be/qdsb.html

Example:
$ QDSB/SORTED=DATE_C=ORDER=DESC

Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Per Arvidsson]

Thank you all, Wow!
What a response

[Per Arvidsson]

I tried to pipe dir and sort but didnt succeed. These answers will do

[Joseph Huber_1]

I think Kris's program is the most excellent doing a sorted directory anyway.

>> tried to pipe dir and sort but didnt succeed.

Because the default date format is not ISO or VMS "comparison": one has to switch date-format before the directory command, and has to fix the output fields with the /width qualifier, then one can pipe the output through sort.

I did this for the file size (because it's simpler :-), see
http://wwwvms.mppmu.mpg.de/util_root/com/dir_by_size.com

[Joseph Huber_1]

A quick hack in DCL piping directory output into sort is at
http://wwwvms.mppmu.mpg.de/util_root/com/dir_by_date.com

but it will break the correct order and display whenever a dir-/file-specification exceeds the filename field width (80 in my example).

A slower DCL version using f$search loop is
http://wwwvms.mppmu.mpg.de/util_root/com/dir_by_date2.com

[Hakan Zanderau ( Anders]

$ DEFINE/EXEC/TAB=LNM$DT_FORMAT_TABLE LIB$DATE_FORMAT_COMPARISON "!Y4-!MN0-!D0"
$ DEFINE LIB$DT_FORMAT LIB$DATE_FORMAT_COMPARISON,LIB_TIME_FORMAT_001
$ pipe (dir/date/wid=file=40 | search sys$input ";" | sort/key=(pos:43,siz:22,desc) s
ys$input sys$output)

Hakan

[Joseph Huber_1]

BTW, the LIB$DT_FORMAT feature only works if
@sys$startup:lib$dt_startup has been executed (best insert this in systartup_vms ).