## Date Files

### Definition

VMAKE creates a date file for every target that is to be generated. The name of the date file comprises the name of the processed file and the file extension .dat: <file_name>.dat. Its timestamp corresponds to that of the respective module file or link description.

### Use

VMAKE uses the date file during the MAKE process to determine whether the local targets correspond to the module files/link descriptions that are currently being used. If both files have a different time stamp, VMAKE detects that the target is not current and recreates it.

VMAKE stores date files are follows:

· Date files for include files are stored in the $WRK/dates directory within their layer irrespective of the VMAKE version used in the MAKE process, since include files are not version specific.

· Date files for all other module files are stored in the version-specific $WRK/<version>/dates directory, under the relevant subdirectories for the layer in question.

· Date files for link descriptions are stored directly in the version-specific $WRK/<version>/dates directory.