How to Manage File Timestamps with Cinnamon Desktop on Linux Mint

Linux Mint, with its Cinnamon desktop environment, offers a clean and user-friendly interface for managing files and directories. One crucial aspect of file management is handling file timestamps, which include the creation, modification, and access times. These timestamps help track when a file was last used or changed, making them essential for system organization, backups, and troubleshooting.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to view, modify, and preserve file timestamps on Linux Mint using the Cinnamon desktop. We’ll cover both GUI-based methods and command-line techniques for comprehensive timestamp management.

Understanding File Timestamps in Linux

In Linux, every file has three primary timestamps:

1. Access Time (atime) – The last time a file was accessed (read).
2. Modification Time (mtime) – The last time the file’s content was modified.
3. Change Time (ctime) – The last time the file’s metadata (such as permissions or ownership) was changed.

These timestamps are automatically updated when certain operations occur. However, there are scenarios where you might want to modify or preserve them manually.

Viewing File Timestamps in Cinnamon Desktop

1. Using the File Manager (Nemo)

Cinnamon uses Nemo, a feature-rich file manager, to display file details.

• Open Nemo from the menu or by pressing Ctrl + L and typing nemo.
• Navigate to the file whose timestamp you want to check.
• Right-click the file and select Properties.
• Under the Basic tab, you’ll find the Modified timestamp.

💡 Nemo does not show the full range of timestamps (atime, ctime) in the properties window. For that, the terminal is required.

2. Using the Terminal

To view file timestamps in detail, open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and use:

stat filename

Example output:

  File: filename.txt  
  Size: 1024        Blocks: 8          IO Block: 4096   regular file  
Device: 802h/2050d Inode: 131072       Links: 1  
Access: 2025-02-19 10:45:00.123456789 +0000  
Modify: 2025-02-18 15:30:00.123456789 +0000  
Change: 2025-02-18 16:00:00.123456789 +0000  

• Access (atime) → Last read time
• Modify (mtime) → Last content change
• Change (ctime) → Last metadata change

For a simple view, use:

ls -l --time=atime filename
ls -l --time=ctime filename
ls -l --time=mtime filename

Modifying File Timestamps

1. Using the touch Command

The easiest way to change timestamps is the touch command.

• Update the modification time (mtime) to the current time:

  touch filename.txt
  

• Set a specific timestamp:

  touch -t YYYYMMDDhhmm filename.txt
  

  Example:

  touch -t 202402181530 filename.txt
  

  This sets the timestamp to Feb 18, 2024, at 15:30.

• Update both atime and mtime:

  touch -a -m -t 202402181530 filename.txt
  

2. Changing Access and Modification Time Separately

• Modify only atime:

  touch -a -t 202402181530 filename.txt
  

• Modify only mtime:

  touch -m -t 202402181530 filename.txt
  

Preserving File Timestamps

By default, copying or moving files may change their timestamps. To preserve them:

1. Using cp Command

To copy a file while keeping its timestamps intact:

cp --preserve=timestamps source.txt destination.txt

Or to preserve all attributes (including ownership and permissions):

cp -p source.txt destination.txt

2. Using mv Command

Moving a file generally does not alter timestamps, but if moving across filesystems, use:

mv -n source.txt destination.txt

The -n flag prevents overwriting files and helps in maintaining original timestamps.

Using GUI Tools to Modify Timestamps

For those who prefer a graphical approach, there are third-party tools available:

1. Using File Properties in Nemo (Limited)

While Nemo provides basic modification timestamps, it does not allow editing them directly.

2. Using Bulk Rename (Nemo Plugin)

Nemo has a built-in Bulk Rename tool that can modify timestamps:

• Install it if not present:

  sudo apt install nemo-rename
  

• Open Nemo, select multiple files, and right-click → Rename.

• Use advanced options to modify metadata.

3. Using SetFileTime (GUI-based)

A GUI-based program like SetFileTime (via Wine) can be used to modify timestamps, though it’s not natively available for Linux.

Advanced Methods for Managing Timestamps

1. Using debugfs to Edit ctime

Unlike atime and mtime, ctime cannot be changed directly. However, advanced users can modify it using:

sudo debugfs /dev/sdX

Then within debugfs:

stat /path/to/file
set_inode_field /path/to/file ctime YYYYMMDDhhmmss

⚠ Warning: Be careful when modifying ctime, as it affects system integrity.

2. Using rsync to Copy While Preserving Timestamps

When syncing files, use rsync:

rsync -a --times source/ destination/

This ensures timestamps remain unchanged.

Automating Timestamp Management

If you need to maintain timestamps across multiple files or directories automatically, consider using a cron job:

1. Open crontab:

   crontab -e
   

2. Add a job to set timestamps every day at midnight:

   0 0 * * * touch -t 202402181530 /path/to/file
   

3. Save and exit.

Conclusion

Managing file timestamps on Linux Mint with Cinnamon is crucial for maintaining an organized system. While Nemo provides basic timestamp visibility, the terminal offers greater control using stat, touch, and cp. For advanced use cases, debugfs and rsync can help preserve and manipulate timestamps efficiently.

By understanding these methods, you can better control file metadata, optimize backups, and maintain accurate file histories. Whether through GUI tools or command-line utilities, Linux Mint provides powerful options for timestamp management.

Do you have any specific timestamp challenges on your Linux Mint system? Let me know in the comments! 🚀