title: Accessing file dates in R
body: <p>I am trying to run a R script which needs to use the file timestamp. </p>
  
  <p>Using windows explorer, I realised that there are 3 ‘types of file dates’ (“Date”, “Date created”, and “Date modified”). See below. </p>
  
  <p><img src="https://acux3w-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mpVkgxbHv-34Qz8iZX9ggqw_ECDXEidDINMLb6qZC3A-PhgkxJkpEThItSRu5oSR-SiuuuOMGakvRkUye7VMm2awZxVROee3sWIWm2AqiGUweM7M8yLpvXHqQ0To6yqfnh614x-vXDgBYInyB_6A05DIIgxIn8_ivjUzqOvQHnUp4t29iKceK4crzgZSv9FI3pOe5Yl38tmIgOdwZgpexFA?width=1103&amp;height=206&amp;cropmode=none" alt="file dates in windows explorer"></p>
  
  <p>When using  R function <code>file.info()</code> you can read “Date created” and “Date modified”, but not the “Date” column (as apperead on Windows explorer) This date column is the one I need.</p>
  
  <pre><code>photo.directory &lt;- file.info(getwd())
  head(photo.directory)
                   size isdir mode               mtime               ctime
  IMG_0381.jpg 15904788 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:14 2017-05-25 15:39:36
  IMG_0382.jpg  8895692 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:17 2017-05-25 15:39:36
  IMG_0383.jpg  8731599 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:21 2017-05-25 15:39:37
  IMG_0384.jpg 15189133 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:25 2017-05-25 15:39:37
  IMG_0385.jpg 10545637 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:29 2017-05-25 15:39:38
  IMG_0386.jpg 10565079 FALSE  666 2017-05-02 13:55:31 2017-05-25 15:39:38
                             atime exe
  IMG_0381.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:36  no
  IMG_0382.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:36  no
  IMG_0383.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:37  no
  IMG_0384.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:37  no
  IMG_0385.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:38  no
  IMG_0386.jpg 2017-05-25 15:39:38  no
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Any ideas how to overcome this in R?</p>