Batch script: Write date of oldest file in a dir to text file

Question

I am trying to write the modified date of the oldest file in a directory to a text file. At the moment i can write all the file names (i named them the date they were created but) in oldest to newest order but cant seem to limit this to just output the oldest or indeed get the modified or created date/time. My directory is remote in case it makes a diff and my current attempt is as follows:

dir "\\dirxxxx\xxxxxxx\xxxxx\xxxxx\xxxxx\*.*" /b /a-d /o-d`

Any ideas how i can get the creation or modified date of a file written to a text file in same dir?

Answer 1

Solution: use vbs instead.

Option Explicit  
Dim fso, path, file, recentDate, recentFile, objFileHandle
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set recentFile = Nothing
For Each file in fso.GetFolder("\\xxxxxx\xxxxxxx").Files
  If (recentFile is Nothing) Then
    Set recentFile = file
  ElseIf (file.DateLastModified < recentFile.DateLastModified) Then
    Set recentFile = file
  End If
Next

If recentFile is Nothing Then
  WScript.Echo "no recent files"
Else
  WScript.Echo recentFile.DateLastModified

  Set objFileHandle = fso.OpenTextFile("\\Vxxxxxx\xxxxx", 2, "True")
  objFileHandle.Write(recentFile.DateLastModified)
  objFileHandle.Close
End If

Answer 2

try this:

for /f "delims=" %i in ('dir /b/o-d/a-d') do set "oldesttime=%~ti"
>"log.txt" echo %oldesttime%