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Date modified changes when folders are opened

Not sure how to phrase this question to be honest but some (not all) of my folders and files in Mac OS X El Capitan change "Date Modified" on observation. If you open a folder in, for example, ~/Library/Messages/Attachments/ they get modified by the OS to 'today'. Hope that makes sense. Sure doesn't seem helpful.

Are they quantum objects? 🙂

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 16BG RAM

Posted on Mar 25, 2018 3:24 AM

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Posted on Mar 26, 2018 1:43 PM

A Folder that is opened for the first time by the Finder will have a .DS_Store invisible file created that contains Finder metadata telling the Finder how to display this Folder.


Since the .DS_Store will be a new file added to the Folder (even though it is invisible, it is still added to the Folder), that will modify the Folder and thus, change the Folder's modification time.


If you return to that Folder at another time, as long as you do not add or remove files. Rename the folder itself. Then the folder's modification date should not change.

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Mar 26, 2018 1:43 PM in response to tomb

A Folder that is opened for the first time by the Finder will have a .DS_Store invisible file created that contains Finder metadata telling the Finder how to display this Folder.


Since the .DS_Store will be a new file added to the Folder (even though it is invisible, it is still added to the Folder), that will modify the Folder and thus, change the Folder's modification time.


If you return to that Folder at another time, as long as you do not add or remove files. Rename the folder itself. Then the folder's modification date should not change.

Date modified changes when folders are opened

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