Newest file using Spotlight

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

How to get modification time of newest file in x folder hierarchy without stepping thru every folder, maybe Spotlight can do this?

This folder has lots of files and folders so Spotlight might be best and fast.

#2

If Spotlight cant do this then what else could be used?

#3

This most likely can be done simpler or better,
But here is a modified old script I had.

Change the Path ( et thePrintpath to (path to desktop folder from user domain) & “testf:” as string)
editI have also set it to look for last file even if a folder is the last modified item



set c to "Folder"
set counter to 0

my lastFile_(c, counter)
on lastFile_(c, counter)
	set counter to counter + 1
	set thePrintpath to (path to desktop folder from user domain) & "testf:" as string
	set thePrintpath to POSIX path of thePrintpath
	set LastFile to paragraphs of (do shell script "cd " & thePrintpath & " ; ls -t1| perl -pe 'exit if $. > " & counter & "'")
	set LastFile to item counter of LastFile
	
	set acolonpath to POSIX file (thePrintpath & LastFile) as alias
	
	set c to (kind of (info for acolonpath))
	
	if c is "Folder" then
		my lastFile_(c, counter)
	else
		return (acolonpath)
	end if
end lastFile_
#4

Thanks for this code.

My folder path has spaces, and it fails. It is in hard drive named “Macintosh HD” and last folder in path has also space.

#5

This should take care of it. :wink:

set c to "Folder"
set counter to 0

my lastFile_(c, counter)
on lastFile_(c, counter)
	set counter to counter + 1
	set thetarget to (path to desktop folder from user domain) & "testf:untitled folder:" as string
	set thetarget to POSIX path of thetarget
	(* use sed to escape spaces in thetarget folder *)
	set thetargetSEDpath to (do shell script "echo " & quoted form of thetarget & "|sed 's/\\ /\\\\ /g'")
	set LastFile to paragraphs of (do shell script "cd " & thetargetSEDpath & " ; ls -t1| perl -pe 'exit if $. > " & counter & "'")
	set LastFile to item counter of LastFile
	
	set acolonpath to POSIX file (thetarget & LastFile) as alias
	
	set c to (kind of (info for acolonpath))
	
	if c is "Folder" then
		my lastFile_(c, counter)
	else
		return (acolonpath)
	end if
end lastFile_