SYNOPSIS

       tmpwatch [-u|-m|-c] [-MUadfqstvx] [--verbose] [--force] [--all]
                      [--nodirs] [--test] [--fuser] [--quiet]
                      [--atime|--mtime|--ctime]    [--dirmtime]     [--exclude
       <path>]
                      [--exclude-user <user>] <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 holding 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 sym-
       bolic link is given as its  argument),  will  not  switch  filesystems,
       skips  lost+found  directories owned by the root user, 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  these
       times.   The  --dirmtime  option implies ignoring atime of directories,
       even if the --atime option is used.

       The hours parameter defines the threshold for removing  files.  If  the
       file  has not been accessed for hours hours, the file is removed.  Fol-
       lowing this, one or more directories 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.

              Note that the periodic updatedb file system scans keep the atime
              of directories recent.


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




       -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).


       -q, --quiet
              Report only fatal errors.


       -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.  Not supported on HP-UX or Solaris.


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


       -U, --exclude-user=user
              Don't  remove  files owned by user, which can be an user name or
              numeric user ID.


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


       -x, --exclude=path
              Skip  absolute path; if path is a directory, all files contained
              in it are skipped too.  The directories to clean up must also be
              absolute paths.

SEE ALSO

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

WARNINGS

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

AUTHORS