The datE gets updated - try it:
look through your file system, find an old .cae file, note the file date and time;
open it with Abaqus CAE, don't do anything else before closing it again, note the file date and time - it will have changed!
Annoying in my opinion - is there any way to get round...
Is it possible to find out the contents of a CAE file without opening it.
Perhaps you have noticed - when you open a CAE file and close it again, without doing anything, the date gets updated.
In almost all other programs the documents only get a new date if it actually gets saved not just read...