I have a file on a share \\server\share\file.exe

I would like to create a script which will look at the modification date of
this file, and then output the modification date into a text file on the
user's hard drive, c:\log.txt

The script should constantly compare the modification date of
\\server\share\file.exe with the date inserted into the log.txt file, and if
the server's file modification date becomes more recent, then the script
should update the log file on the user's hard drive with the new
modification date.

Does my request make sense and if so, can someone show me how?

Since you're not doing anything if the date is different, why not just write
the date to the file each time the script is ran. If you do want to do
something, such as pop up a message, let me know and I'll show you how to do
the compare.

---Cut Here--------------------------------------------------------
  Option Explicit
  Dim oFS

  Set oFS = WScript.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

    Const sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
    Const  sLog = "C:\Log.Txt"

    LogDate sFile, sLog

    oWS.Run "notepad.exe " & sLog

  Set oFS = Nothing
  WScript.Quit

'---------------------
  Sub LogDate(sFile, sLog)
    Dim oLog
    Set oLog = oFS.OpenTextFile(sLog,2,True)
      oLog.WriteLine GetModDate(sFile)
      oLog.Close
    Set oLog = Nothing
  End Sub

'---------------------
  Function GetModDate(sFile)
    GetModDate = oFS.GetFile(sFile).DateLastModified
  End Function

---Cut Here--------------------------------------------------------

This example script runs forever and checks the file's last modified date every 15 seconds and appends any changes to a log file...

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datedif("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,8,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

Thanks Michael,

The thing is, I don't want the script to append the date to end of the log
file such that the log file keeps a history of all these dates...  I just
want the log file to have one line in it, that being the date-modified of
the file we are checking on the server.  If the server's file changes, then
I want the script to update the log file with the new date-modified of this
file.

This example script runs forever and checks the file's last modified date
every 15 seconds and appends any changes to a log file...

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datedif("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,8,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

Then change

 fso.opentextfile(sLog,8,true).writeline dtFile

to

 fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile

The parameters are in the docs.

doesn't the script that michael posted check to see if the date-modified of
\\server\share\file.exe has changed in comparison to the last time the
script ran?  As opposed to what I need, which is this:

The file "c:\mylog.txt"  has one entry in it:  04/18/2002 8:01:01 AM

The script will check this entry and compare it to the date modified of
\\server\share\file.exe

If the date-modified of \\server\share\file.exe is more recent than the
entry in c:\mylog.txt, then overwrite the entry in c:\mylog.txt with the
date-modified of \\server\share\file.exe

--------------

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
if fso.fileexists(sLog) then
  if fso.getfile(sLog).size > 0 then
    sDate = fso.opentextfile(sLog,1).readline
    if isdate(sDate) then
      dtPrev = cdate(sDate)
    end if
  end if
end if
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datediff("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

That is perfect.

One question:  is it possible to create the "c:\mylog.txt" file as a hidden
file?

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
if fso.fileexists(sLog) then
  if fso.getfile(sLog).size > 0 then
    sDate = fso.opentextfile(sLog,1).readline
    if isdate(sDate) then
      dtPrev = cdate(sDate)
    end if
  end if
end if
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datediff("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

This is your last 'freebie' ;-)...

WSH 5.6 documentation download
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/sample.asp?url=/MSDN-FILES/027/00...

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
if fso.fileexists(sLog) then
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
  if fso.getfile(sLog).size > 0 then
    sDate = fso.opentextfile(sLog,1).readline
    if isdate(sDate) then
      dtPrev = cdate(sDate)
    end if
  end if
else
  fso.createtextfile sLog
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
end if
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datediff("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

The script creates the "c:\mylog.txt" file but errors with a "permission
denied" when it tries to write to the file, so the file ends up empty..

This is your last 'freebie' ;-)...

WSH 5.6 documentation download
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/sample.asp?url=/MSDN-FILES/027/00...
sdncompositedoc.xml

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
if fso.fileexists(sLog) then
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
  if fso.getfile(sLog).size > 0 then
    sDate = fso.opentextfile(sLog,1).readline
    if isdate(sDate) then
      dtPrev = cdate(sDate)
    end if
  end if
else
  fso.createtextfile sLog
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
end if
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datediff("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

but it does successfully create it as hidden..

This is your last 'freebie' ;-)...

WSH 5.6 documentation download
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/sample.asp?url=/MSDN-FILES/027/00...
sdncompositedoc.xml

set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
sLog = "c:\mylog.txt"
sFile = "\\server\share\file.exe"
dtPrev = now()
if fso.fileexists(sLog) then
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
  if fso.getfile(sLog).size > 0 then
    sDate = fso.opentextfile(sLog,1).readline
    if isdate(sDate) then
      dtPrev = cdate(sDate)
    end if
  end if
else
  fso.createtextfile sLog
  attribs = fso.getfile(sLog).attributes Or 2 'hidden
  fso.getfile(sLog).attributes = attribs
end if
do
  dtFile = fso.getfile(sFile).datelastmodified
  if datediff("s",dtPrev,dtFile) <> 0 then
    dtPrev = dtFile
    fso.opentextfile(sLog,2,true).writeline dtFile
  end if
  wscript.sleep 15 * 1000
loop while true '***this is an infinite loop***

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

Well, it works perfectly for me exactly as written and posted (except for giving sFile the name of a real file)...

Are you testing with my example or something you wrote using the example?  If the latter is the case, then you'll have to post exactly the code you are using...

If you have sufficient NT permissions to create the log file and then set the hidden attribute then you clearly have enough NT sufficient permissions to write to the file.  The only reason you might not is if another process has it locked and/or opened for update precisely when *you* want to open/write to it...

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--

okay fair enough, thanks for help Michael.

Well, it works perfectly for me exactly as written and posted (except for
giving sFile the name of a real file)...

Are you testing with my example or something you wrote using the example?
If the latter is the case, then you'll have to post exactly the code you are
using...

If you have sufficient NT permissions to create the log file and then set
the hidden attribute then you clearly have enough NT sufficient permissions
to write to the file.  The only reason you might not is if another process
has it locked and/or opened for update precisely when *you* want to
open/write to it...

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US
--