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P4 CLI Documentation | 2025.2

# Preserving timestamps

Normally, P4 Server updates the timestamp when a file is synced. The modification time (`+m`) modifier is intended for developers who need to preserve a file’s original timestamp. This modifier enables you to ensure that the timestamp of a file synced to your client workspace is the time on your computer when the file was submitted.

Windows uses timestamps on third-party DLLs for versioning information (both within the development environment and also by the operating system), and the `+m` modifier enables you to preserve the original timestamps to prevent spurious version mismatches. The `+m` modifier overrides the client workspace `[no]modtime` setting (for the files to which it is applied). For details about this setting, refer to File type modifiers.

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