Re: javascript file mod date

<snip>
> You know, that's a thought that should have hit me square up side the head
> a lot sooner than it just did. If a part (any part) of the page is being
> created dynamically, then the modified date would *have* to be today.
Right?

This is not necessarily true.  Just because the page is generated does
not mean it has been modified.  The last modified date is the date when
the actual content of the page changes, more than the an banner ad, or
date, or whatever.  For example, think of all the sites that provide
news articles.  The article remains the same while some things may
change, i.e.. the banner ad, the date, layout, but the content is still
the same.  </snip>

Two different things here: if the whole page is dynamically generated in
whole or part (using CGI, PHP, ASP, include files, etc.) then yes, the last
mod. date is always today, as Nathan said.

If only components *referenced* in the file are changed - e.g. a rotating
banner ad, an image, a style sheet, an external JS file, then the mod. date
is whatever the html file date is.

But as soon as any change whatsoever is made to the file (i.e. it is written
to disk), then the mod. date changes. This is true even if the author just
saved the file unchanged. I can't imagine a situation in which the layout
could change without touching the file, unless a linked stylesheet was
changed. But I'd be interested to hear how this could happen else.

Kind regards,

Lois Wakeman

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http://lois.co.uk
http://siteusability.com
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