Find files in created between a date range

I use AIX via telnet here at work, and I'd like to know how to find files in a specific folder between a date range. For example: I want to find all files in folder X that were created between 01-Aug-13 and 31-Aug-13.

Observations:

• The touch trick (where you create two empty files to use the -newer option) does not work for me, once the user roles that I have on the server does not allow me to create files.
• I need to find between specific dates, not days (like: files that were created more than 30 days ago, etc...)

If you use GNU find, since version 4.3.3 you can do:

find -newerct "1 Aug 2013" ! -newerct "1 Sep 2013" -ls

It will accept any date string accepted by GNU date -d.

You can change the c in -newerct to any of a, B, c, or m for looking at atime/birth/ctime/mtime.

Another example - list files modified between 17:30 and 22:00 on Nov 6 2017:

find -newermt "2017-11-06 17:30:00" ! -newermt "2017-11-06 22:00:00" -ls

Full details from man find:

   -newerXY reference
          Compares the timestamp of the current file with reference.  The reference argument is normally the name of a file (and one of its timestamps  is  used
          for  the  comparison)  but  it may also be a string describing an absolute time.  X and Y are placeholders for other letters, and these letters select
          which time belonging to how reference is used for the comparison.

          a   The access time of the file reference
          B   The birth time of the file reference
          c   The inode status change time of reference
          m   The modification time of the file reference
          t   reference is interpreted directly as a time

          Some combinations are invalid; for example, it is invalid for X to be t.  Some combinations are not implemented on all systems; for example B  is  not
          supported on all systems.  If an invalid or unsupported combination of XY is specified, a fatal error results.  Time specifications are interpreted as
          for the argument to the -d option of GNU date.  If you try to use the birth time of a reference file, and the birth time cannot be determined, a fatal
          error  message  results.   If  you  specify a test which refers to the birth time of files being examined, this test will fail for any files where the
          birth time is unknown.

Try the following command:

find /var/tmp -mtime +2 -a -mtime -8 -ls

This will allow you to find files in /var/tmp folder that are older than 2 days but not older than 8 days.

Some good solutions on here. Wanted to share mine as well as it is short and simple.

I'm using find (GNU findutils) 4.5.11

$ find search/path/ -newermt 20130801 \! -newermt 20130831

You can use the below to find what you need.

Find files older than a specific date/time:

find ~/ -mtime $(echo $(date +%s) - $(date +%s -d"Dec 31, 2009 23:59:59") | bc -l | awk '{print $1 / 86400}' | bc -l)

Or you can find files between two dates. First date more recent, last date, older. You can go down to the second, and you don't have to use mtime. You can use whatever you need.

find . -mtime $(date +%s -d"Aug 10, 2013 23:59:59") -mtime $(date +%s -d"Aug 1, 2013 23:59:59")

Use stat to get the creation time. You can compare the time in the format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS lexicographically.

This work on Linux with modification time, creation time is not supported. On AIX, the -c option might not be supported, but you should be able to get the information anyway, using grep if nothing else works.

#! /bin/bash
from='2013-08-01 00:00:00.0000000000' # 01-Aug-13
to='2013-08-31 23:59:59.9999999999'   # 31-Aug-13

for file in * ; do
    modified=$( stat -c%y "$file" )
    if [[ $from < $modified && $modified < $to ]] ; then
        echo "$file"
    fi
done

Script oldfiles

I've tried to answer this question in a more complete way, and I ended up creating a complete script with options to help you understand the find command.

The script oldfiles is in this repository

To "create" a new find command you run it with the option -n (dry-run), and it will print to you the correct find command you need to use.

Of course, if you omit the -n it will just run, no need to retype the find command.

Usage:

oldfiles [-v...] ([-h|-V|-n] | {[(-a|-u) | (-m|-t) | -c] (-i | -d | -o| -y | -g) N (-\> | -\< | -\=) [-p "pat"]})

• Where the options are classified in the following groups:
  • Help & Info: > -h, --help : Show this help.
    > -V, --version : Show version.
    > -v, --verbose : Turn verbose mode on (cumulative).
    > -n, --dry-run : Do not run, just explain how to create a "find" command
  • Time type (access/use, modification time or changed status): > -a or -u : access (use) time
    > -m or -t : modification time (default)
    > -c : inode status change
  • Time range (where N is a positive integer): > -i N : minutes (default, with N equal 1 min)
    > -d N : days
    > -o N : months
    > -y N : years
    > -g N : N is a DATE (example: "2017-07-06 22:17:15")
  • Tests: > -p "pat" : optional pattern to match (example: -p "*.c" to find c files) (default -p "*")
    > -\> : file is newer than given range, ie, time modified after it.
    > -< : file is older than given range, ie, time is from before it. (default)
    > -= : file that is exactly N (min, day, month, year) old.

Example:

• Find C source files newer than 10 minutes (access time) (with verbosity 3):

  oldfiles -a -i 10 -p"*.c" -\> -nvvv
  Starting oldfiles script, by beco, version 20170706.202054...
  oldfiles -vvv -a -i 10 -p "*.c" -\> -n
  Looking for "*.c" files with (a)ccess time newer than 10 minute(s)
  find . -name "*.c" -type f -amin -10 -exec ls -ltu --time-style=long-iso {} +
  Dry-run
  

• Find H header files older than a month (modification time) (verbosity 2):

  oldfiles -m -o 1 -p"*.h" -\< -nvv
  Starting oldfiles script, by beco, version 20170706.202054...
  oldfiles -vv -m -o 1 -p "*.h" -\< -n
  find . -name "*.h" -type f -mtime +30 -exec ls -lt --time-style=long-iso {} +
  Dry-run
  

• Find all (*) files within a single day (Dec, 1, 2016; no verbosity, dry-run):

  oldfiles -mng "2016-12-01" -\=
  find . -name "*" -type f -newermt "2016-11-30 23:59:59" ! -newermt "2016-12-01 23:59:59" -exec ls -lt --time-style=long-iso {} +
  

Of course, removing the -n the program will run the find command itself and save you the trouble.

I hope this helps everyone finally learn this {a,c,t}{time,min} options.

The LS output:

You will also notice that the ls option ls OPT changes to match the type of time you choose.

Link to clone/download of the oldfiles script:

https://github.com/drbeco/oldfiles

You can use the following commands to list files between 2 specific dates:

Search on current (.) directory:

find . -type f -newermt "2019-01-01" ! -newermt "2019-05-01"

Search on /var/any/directory/ directory:

find /var/any/directory/ -type f -newermt "2019-01-01" ! -newermt "2019-05-01"

Explanation: Use unix command find with -ctime (creation time) flag.

The find utility recursively descends the directory tree for each path listed, evaluating an expression (composed of the 'primaries' and 'operands') in terms of each file in the tree.

Solution: According to official documentation:

-ctime n[smhdw]
             If no units are specified, this primary evaluates to true if the difference
             between the time of last change of file status information and the time find
             was started, rounded up to the next full 24-hour period, is n 24-hour peri-
             ods.

             If units are specified, this primary evaluates to true if the difference
             between the time of last change of file status information and the time find
             was started is exactly n units.  Please refer to the -atime primary descrip-
             tion for information on supported time units.

Formula:

find <path> -ctime +[number][timeMeasurement] -ctime -[number][timeMeasurment]

Examples:

1.Find everything that were created after 1 week ago and before 2 weeks ago.

find / -ctime +1w -ctime -2w

2.Find all javascript files (.js) in current directory that were created between 1 day ago to 3 days ago.

find . -name "*\.js" -type f -ctime +1d -ctime -3d