Set File Time (GNU tar 1.35)

### F.3 Set File Time

This mode is requested by the `--set-time` (`-t`) command line option. In this mode `genfile` operates similarly to the `touch` command: for each file listed in the command line, it sets its access and modification times to the current timestamp or to the value given with the `--date` option. The `--date` option takes a date specification in an almost arbitrary format as its argument (see Date input formats), e.g.:

    genfile --set-time --date='2 days ago' a b c

By default, `genfile` follows symbolic links and sets times of the file they point to. This can be changed by supplying the `--no-dereference` (`-h`) option: if it is given, `genfile` will change access and modification times of the symbolic link itself. Notice, that not all operating systems allow this.