changeDate.m

//
// created 07.30.2009 by Hank McShane
// version: 0.1
// requires: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher
// Thanks to Craig Williams for his code suggestion which can be seen here:
// http://macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=29902

// Usage:
// ChangeFileDates -cDate creationDate -mDate modificationDate -file filePath

// This foundation tool sets the creation and modification dates of the file.
// Dates should be in the format 'mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss'.
//

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
    NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
	
	// see if help is being requested
	NSArray* pInfo = [[NSArray alloc] initWithArray:[[NSProcessInfo processInfo] arguments]];
	if ([pInfo count] == 1 || [[pInfo objectAtIndex:1] isEqualToString:@"-h"] || [[pInfo objectAtIndex:1] isEqualToString:@"-help"]) {
		printf("Usage:\nChangeFileDates -cDate creationDate -mDate modificationDate -file filePath\nThis foundation tool sets the creation and modification dates of the file.\nDates should be in the format 'mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss'.\n\n");
		return 1;
	}
	[pInfo release];
	
	// check the creation date
	NSString* cDate = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] stringForKey:@"cDate"];
	if (cDate == NULL) {
		printf("ERROR: Missing the cDate argument\n");
		return 1;
	}
	NSDate* createDate = [NSDate dateWithNaturalLanguageString:cDate];
	if (!createDate) {
		printf("ERROR: cDate is in the wrong format.\nUse a date format of 'mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss'\n");
		return 1;
	}
	
	// check the modification date
	NSString* mDate = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] stringForKey:@"mDate"];
	if (mDate == NULL) {
		printf("ERROR: Missing the mDate argument\n");
		return 1;
	}
	NSDate* modDate = [NSDate dateWithNaturalLanguageString:mDate];
    if (!modDate) {
		printf("ERROR: mDate is in the wrong format.\nUse a date format of 'mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss'\n");
		return 1;
	}
	
	// make sure the modification date is not earlier than the creation date
	NSDate* earlierDate = [createDate earlierDate:modDate];
	if (!(earlierDate == createDate)) {
		printf("ERROR: the modification date cannot be earlier than the creation date.\n");
		return 1;
	}
	
	// check the file path
	NSString* file = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] stringForKey:@"file"];
	if (file == NULL) {
		printf("ERROR: Missing the file argument\n");
		return 1;
	}
	if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:file]) {
		printf("ERROR: the file could not be found.\n%s\n", [file UTF8String]);
		return 1;
	}
	
	// everything is ok so set the dates!
    NSDictionary* dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:createDate, NSFileCreationDate, modDate, NSFileModificationDate, nil ];
	NSError* error;
    [[NSFileManager defaultManager] setAttributes:dict ofItemAtPath:file error:&error];
    
    if (error) {
		printf("\nThere was an error:\n%s\n", [[error localizedDescription] UTF8String]);
		return 1;
	}
	
    [pool drain];
    return 0;
}