[ale] Best way to track changes to a directory?

[Steve Litt]

On Fri, 2 Oct 2020 14:26:32 +0000
Chris Fowler via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:

> I have a developer working in a directory of almost 1G in size.
> Many files intalled there using a specific and strict package
> management system.  I developed the system ,bui I don't want this
> developer to have to spend time trying to learn it as they install
> thigs like tomcat, our software, etc.  It is better for me if the
> treated the directory like any other, did their install, and then I
> reverse engineer what they did create a MAkefile that will build and
> install it using the strict system.  My thoughts on this is to
> compare a pristine directory against the same after they've done
> work, but how?  

Hi Chris,

I can't comment on all the alternatives you articulated because you've
obviously given them 1000 times more thought than I have. All I can do
is add one more possible tool: Inotifywait in a shellscript or inotify
in a C program. It would be pretty easy to create a shellscript or C
program to, in real time, react to changes within the directory and
deal with each change, perhaps by notifying you, perhaps by writing to
a log that could later be turned into a shellscript, or who knows,
perhaps in real time to copy or links files.
 
SteveT

Steve Litt 
Autumn 2020 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times
http://www.troubleshooters.com/thrive