last_modified(path, num)

function ff = last_modified(path, num)
% ff = last_modified(path, varargin) Return the names of the last
% modified files in path.
%
% Works by searching the files modification times for the highest datenums.
%
% Input arguments:
%       path: the path to pass to dir. Could be '.', '*.m'. Defaults to working
%       directory.
%       num:  number of entries to return
%
% Outputs: 
%       A cell array of the num most recently modified files.
%
% Example:
%       last_modified('.')
%
%       last_modified('/home/matt/matlab', 10); % return the 10 most recently
%       modified files.
%
% See also: 
%       DIR
%
% Matt Foster <[e-mail]>
%
% $Id: /general/last_modified.m 584 2007-03-12T10:07:19.916875Z ee1mpf  $

if nargin < 1 || isempty(path)
        path = pwd;
end

if nargin < 2
        num  = 1;
end

% Get a structure of files
files = dir(path);

% Filter out directory (especially the implicit '.' and '..')
files = files(~[files.isdir]);
if num < 2
        [dd, mm] = max(datenum({files.date}));
else
        [dd, mm] = sort(datenum({files.date}), 'descend');
        mm = mm(1:min(end,num));
end

ff = {files(mm).name};