GNU bug report logs - #73709
29.4; Doc of `file-newer-than-file-p'

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Message #18 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen <at> web.de>
To: Drew Adams via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text
 editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Cc: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>,
 "73709 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <73709 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>,
 Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Subject: Re: bug#73709: 29.4; Doc of `file-newer-than-file-p'
Date: Wed, 09 Oct 2024 02:45:44 +0200

Drew Adams via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text
editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org> writes:

> It's not about any implementation details.  It's about
> what's meant here by "newer".  And the answer is that
> it's about the recentness of the last modification.

It's not obvious that the time that a file existed is not meant.
Creation time is what came to my mind, and I find the actual meaning a
bit surprising.  Maybe I even didn't use this function where I should
have and reinvented the thing because of a wrong expectation.  So a +1
from me for trying to make it clearer.

I know already saving files may create a new file and rename the
existing one to a backup name - or keep the file etc.  But anyway, let's
at least say that creation time is not meant, but most of the time, last
file modification.


Michael.

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