tmpwatch - removes files which haven't been accessed for a
       period of time


SYNOPSIS

       tmpwatch  [-u|-m|-c]   [-faqstv]   [--verbose]   [--force]
       [--all] [--test]
                      [--fuser     ]    [--atime|--mtime|--ctime]
       [--quiet] <hours> <dirs>


DESCRIPTION

       tmpwatch recursively  removes  files  which  haven't  been
       accessed  for a given number of hours. Normally, it's used
       to clean up directories which are used for temporary hold­
       ing space such as /tmp.

       When  changing  directories, tmpwatch is very sensitive to
       possible race conditions and will exit with  an  error  if
       one  is detected. It does not follow symbolic links in the
       directories it's cleaning (even  if  a  symbolic  link  is
       given as its argument), will not switch filesystems,
        and only removes empty directories and regular files.

       By  default,  tmpwatch  dates files by their atime (access
       time), not  their  mtime  (modification  time).  If  files
       aren't  being  removed  when ls -l implies they should be,
       use ls -u to examine their atime to see if  that  explains
       the problem.

       If  the  --atime,  --ctime  or --mtime options are used in
       combination, the decision about deleting a  file  will  be
       based on the maximum of this times.

       The  hours  parameter  defines  the threshold for removing
       files. If the file has not been accessed for hours  hours,
       the file is removed.  Following this, one or more directo­
       ries may be given for tmpwatch to clean up.


OPTIONS

       -u, --atime
              Make the decision about deleting a  file  based  on
              the   file's  atime  (access  time).  This  is  the
              default.

       -m, --mtime
              Make the decision about deleting a  file  based  on
              the file's mtime (modification time) instead of the
              atime.

              Make the decision about deleting a  file  based  on
              the file's ctime (inode change time) instead of the
              atime; for directories, make the decision based  on
              the mtime.

       -a, --all
              Remove  all  file types, not just regular files and
              directories.

       -d, --nodirs
              Do not attempt to remove directories, even if  they
              are empty.

       -f, --force
              Remove files even if root doesn't have write access
              (akin to rm -f).

       -t, --test
              Doesn't remove files, but goes through the  motions
              of removing them. This implies -v.

       -s, --fuser
              Attempt to use the "fuser" command to see if a file
              is already open before removing it.  Not enabled by
              default.   Does help in some circumstances, but not
              all.  Dependent on fuser being installed in  /sbin.

       -v, --verbose
              Print  a verbose display. Two levels of verboseness
              are available -- use this option twice to  get  the
              most verbose output.


SEE ALSO

       cron(1), ls(1), rm(1), fuser(1)


WARNINGS

       GNU-style long options are not supported on HP-UX.


AUTHORS

       Erik Troan <ewt@redhat.com>
       Preston Brown <pbrown@redhat.com>
       Nalin Dahyabhai <nalin@redhat.com>


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