sort files by creation time

[Brian Volk]

Hi All~

 

I'm using the glob function to grab all the files in a given directory and
then using crontab to check it every 5 minutes.  Once I have the files I'm
using the diamond operator to read every line in every file and *do
something* if the line matches.   Here's my questions:

 

Given directory:

File 1 - in dir at 9:01

File 2 - in dir at 9:02

File 3 - in dir at 9:03

 

I would like to process the File 1 first then File 2 and then File 3.  Each
file contains data that I need to print for that order.  If I can process
the orders (File 1, File 2, File 3) according to the time they entered the
given dir (first in/first out) the data will print off in the correct
sequence.  

 

Is there a module I can use for this?  Maybe File::Stat?  Or can I do a sort
of some kind right after the while <> ?

 

Can someone pls let me know what function I'm supposed to use or which
module I need.

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

 

Below is some of the code: 

 

I'm using the code below to check if there are any files in the dir.  If so,
then goto to the PMSDS sub. 

 

my @files = glob("/home/bvolk/test_msds_in/*");

 

          my $count = ();

          foreach my $file (@files) {                                   

                                         $count++;

                                         if ($count > 0) {    

                                         &PMSDS;

                                        last;


                                       }

                                      }

 

 

-----some of the  PMSDS sub 

 

@ARGV = map { "$orders_dir/$_" } grep { !/^\./ } readdir ORDERS;

 

 my %DIR_LIST;

 

 $DIR_LIST{$_} = 1 for @pdfs;

 

while (<>) {

              chomp;

              $_ =~ s/\s+\z//;

              

            if(exists($DIR_LIST{$_})){ 

            my   $basename = fileparse($ARGV,'.TXT');

              $basename =~ s/O//;

              $_ =~ s/.pdf//i;

 

          print "Job $basename printing msds $_\n";

          } else {

          my $basename = fileparse($ARGV,'.TXT');

          $basename =~ s/O//;

          print "Job $basename missing  msds $_\n"

          

                    }

      }

 

 

brian volk

hpproducts.com

[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 

317-298-9950 x1245