Do not change "last access date" of files when backing up

[RetroNudge]

Currently both the server based and client based portions of Retrospect...from Versions 5.1 through 7.5...both modify the "last Access Date/time" of any backed up file to "now" (whenever the backup occurs).

 

Since the retrospect server and client programs both each gather all details about a file before backing up its data...(Creation date, Modify date, Access date, Modified bit, Read only bit, etc.)

 

I personally have large numbers of directories on my servers that none of my users ever goes and accesses, and that none of my server utilities ever accesses. It would be kind of nice to archive them away...once I can verify they are unaccessed for a time. I assume I am not alone in this.

 

It is simple to either open the file in backup mode or, if this still modifies the access date, make one additional OS call to "SetFileTimes" (after backing up data & closing file) to set the access date/time back to what they were before retrospect began using them.

 

Yes, others note that Windows itself and many other utitlities modify the access time...irrelevant. Retrospect shouldn't and can easily not do so with very little effort.

 

This might not be true with backing up "already opened files", however these represent such a small percentage of files that there is no need to change how these are performed. (access time will be when other application closes file anyway).