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Filesystem Functions
PHP Manual

# touch

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

touch — Sets access and modification time of file

### Description

bool touch ( string `$filename` [, int `$time` = time() [, int `$atime` ]] )

Attempts to set the access and modification times of the file named in the `filename` parameter to the value given in `time`. Note that the access time is always modified, regardless of the number of parameters.

If the file does not exist, it will be created.

### Parameters

`filename`

  The name of the file being touched.

`time`

  The touch time. If `time` is not supplied, the current system time is used.

`atime`

  If present, the access time of the given filename is set to the value of `atime`. Otherwise, it is set to the value passed to the `time` parameter. If neither are present, the current system time is used.

### Return Values

Returns `TRUE` on success or `FALSE` on failure.

### Changelog

Version | Description
--- | ---
5.3.0 | It became possible to change the modification time of a directory under Windows.

### Examples

Example #1 touch() example

`<?php
if (touch($filename)) {
echo $filename . ' modification time has been changed to present time';
} else {
echo 'Sorry, could not change modification time of ' . $filename;
}
?>`

Example #2 touch() using the `time` parameter

`<?php
// This is the touch time, we'll set it to one hour in the past.
$time = time() - 3600;
// Touch the file
if (!touch('some_file.txt', $time)) {
echo 'Whoops, something went wrong...';
} else {
echo 'Touched file with success';
}
?>`

### Notes

> Note:

> Note that time resolution may differ from one file system to another.

Warning

Prior to PHP 5.3.0 it was not possible to change the modification time of a directory with this function under Windows.

tmpfile
umask
Filesystem Functions
PHP Manual