feat(git-utimes): add ability to update directory timestamp

New flag `--touch-dirs` or `-d` allows to update directory timestamp when using `git utimes` command. Refs: #1249
2026-09-10 07:26:17 -04:00 · 2026-04-22 16:30:03 +02:00 · 2026-04-22 16:30:03 +02:00 · 80d9e2e385
parent 8d1c970031
commit 80d9e2e385
5 changed files with 70 additions and 20 deletions
--- a/Commands.md
+++ b/Commands.md
@ -1624,6 +1624,8 @@ $ git browse-ci upstream

 Change files modification time to their last commit date. Does not touch files that are in the working tree or index.

+To also update the timestamps for directories, use the `--touch-dirs` or `-d` flag.
+
 The `--newer` flag preserves the original modification time of files that were committed from the local repo, by only touching files that are newer than their last commit date.

 ```bash
--- a/bin/git-utimes
+++ b/bin/git-utimes
@ -7,12 +7,30 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 IFS=$'\n\t'

-if [[ "${1:-}" == "--newer" ]]; then
-  op=le
-  shift
-else
-  op=eq
-fi
+# %ct: committer date, UNIX timestamp / %at: author date, UNIX timestamp
+# --diff-filter=d: exclude deleted files
+log_opts=(
+  --format='%ct'
+  --diff-filter=d
+)
+op=eq
+
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case "$arg" in
+        --newer)
+            op=le
+            ;;
+        --touch-dirs | -d)
+            log_opts+=(--dirstat=files,0)
+            ;;
+        *)
+            >&2 echo "unknown argument $arg found"
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    shift
+done

 # BSD systems
 if date -j &>/dev/null; then
@ -33,8 +51,6 @@ if bash --help 2>&1 | grep -q -- '--norc'; then
 fi

 status_opts=(--porcelain --short)
-# %ct: committer date, UNIX timestamp / %at: author date, UNIX timestamp
-log_opts=(--format='%ct')
 if git status --help 2>&1 | grep -q -- "--no-renames"; then
  status_opts+=(--no-renames)
  log_opts+=(--no-renames)
@ -91,13 +107,17 @@ FILENAME==tmpfile {
 }
 # skip blank lines
 !/^$/ {
-  # skip deletes
-  if (substr($1, length($1), 1) ~ /D/) {
-    next
-  }
  if (NF == 1) {
-    ct=$1
-    next
+    # dirstat line
+    if ($1 ~ /^.+% .+\/$/) {
+      # remove percentage before path
+      gsub(/^.+% /, "", $1)
+      $2 = $1
+    # timestamp line
+    } else {
+      ct=$1
+      next
+    }
  }
  $2 = substr($2, strip, length($2)- strip + 1)
  if ($2 in seen) {
--- a/man/git-utimes.1
+++ b/man/git-utimes.1
@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-.\" generated with Ronn-NG/v0.9.1
-.\" http://github.com/apjanke/ronn-ng/tree/0.9.1
-.TH "GIT\-UTIMES" "1" "May 2022" "" "Git Extras"
+.\" generated with Ronn-NG/v0.10.1
+.\" http://github.com/apjanke/ronn-ng/tree/0.10.1
+.TH "GIT\-UTIMES" "1" "January 1980" "" "Git Extras"
 .SH "NAME"
 \fBgit\-utimes\fR \- Change files modification time to their last commit date
 .SH "SYNOPSIS"
@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ Change files modification time to their last commit date\. Does not touch files
 \-\-newer
 .P
 Preserves the original modification time of files that were committed from the local repo, by only touching files that are newer than their last commit date\.
+.P
+\-\-touch\-dirs or \-d
+.P
+Also update the modification time of directories to the latest commit date of any file within them\. This can be useful for build systems that rely on directory timestamps\.
 .SH "EXAMPLES"
 Update all files' modification time to their last commit date, except those in working tree or index:
 .IP "" 4
@ -25,6 +29,13 @@ As above, but preserve original modification time of files that were committed f
 $ git utimes \-\-newer
 .fi
 .IP "" 0
+.P
+Update all files' and directories' modification time to their last commit date, except those in working tree or index:
+.IP "" 4
+.nf
+$ git utimes \-\-touch\-dirs
+.fi
+.IP "" 0
 .SH "AUTHOR"
 Written by Vitaly Chikunov <\fIvt@altlinux\.org\fR>, inspired by Stackexchange comments\. Updated by Bill Wood <\fIwpwoodjr@gmail\.com\fR> to add \fB\-\-newer\fR flag and ignore files in the working tree or index\.
 .SH "REPORTING BUGS"
--- a/man/git-utimes.html
+++ b/man/git-utimes.html
@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html>
 <head>
-  <meta http-equiv='content-type' content='text/html;charset=utf8'>
-  <meta name='generator' content='Ronn-NG/v0.9.1 (http://github.com/apjanke/ronn-ng/tree/0.9.1)'>
+  <meta http-equiv='content-type' content='text/html;charset=utf-8'>
+  <meta name='generator' content='Ronn-NG/v0.10.1 (http://github.com/apjanke/ronn-ng/tree/0.10.1)'>
  <title>git-utimes(1) - Change files modification time to their last commit date</title>
  <style type='text/css' media='all'>
  /* style: man */
@ -89,6 +89,10 @@

 <p>Preserves the original modification time of files that were committed from the local repo, by only touching files that are newer than their last commit date.</p>

+<p>--touch-dirs or -d</p>
+
+<p>Also update the modification time of directories to the latest commit date of any file within them. This can be useful for build systems that rely on directory timestamps.</p>
+
 <h2 id="EXAMPLES">EXAMPLES</h2>

 <p>Update all files' modification time to their last commit date, except those in working tree or index:</p>
@ -101,6 +105,11 @@
 <pre><code>$ git utimes --newer
 </code></pre>

+<p>Update all files' and directories' modification time to their last commit date, except those in working tree or index:</p>
+
+<pre><code>$ git utimes --touch-dirs
+</code></pre>
+
 <h2 id="AUTHOR">AUTHOR</h2>

 <p>Written by Vitaly Chikunov &lt;<a href="mailto:vt@altlinux.org" data-bare-link="true">vt@altlinux.org</a>&gt;, inspired by Stackexchange comments. Updated by Bill Wood &lt;<a href="mailto:wpwoodjr@gmail.com" data-bare-link="true">wpwoodjr@gmail.com</a>&gt; to add <code>--newer</code> flag and ignore files in the working tree or index.</p>
@ -115,7 +124,7 @@

  <ol class='man-decor man-foot man foot'>
    <li class='tl'></li>
-    <li class='tc'>May 2022</li>
+    <li class='tc'>January 1980</li>
    <li class='tr'>git-utimes(1)</li>
  </ol>

--- a/man/git-utimes.md
+++ b/man/git-utimes.md
@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ git-utimes(1) -- Change files modification time to their last commit date
  --newer

  Preserves the original modification time of files that were committed from the local repo, by only touching files that are newer than their last commit date.
+  
+  --touch-dirs or -d
+  
+  Also update the modification time of directories to the latest commit date of any file within them. This can be useful for build systems that rely on directory timestamps.

 ## EXAMPLES

@ -24,6 +28,10 @@ Update all files' modification time to their last commit date, except those in w
 As above, but preserve original modification time of files that were committed from local repo:

    $ git utimes --newer
+    
+Update all files' and directories' modification time to their last commit date, except those in working tree or index:
+
+    $ git utimes --touch-dirs

 ## AUTHOR