diff --git a/rotate.sh b/rotate.sh
index 0186f34..290fa9f 100755
--- a/rotate.sh
+++ b/rotate.sh
@@ -1,113 +1,113 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 ###
 # Stupid script to rotate a backup
 #
 # Author: Valerio B.
 # Date:   Wed 4 Ago 2020
 ##
 
 # do not proceed in case of errors
 set -e
 
 # current directory
 MYDIR="$(dirname "$(realpath "$0")")"
 
 # include all the stuff and useful functions
 . "$MYDIR"/bootstrap.sh
 
 # arguments
 place="$1"
 days="$2"
 max="$3"
 last_timestamp_file="$place.timestamp"
 
 # current timestamp
 current_timestamp=$(date +%s)
 
 # show usage
 function show_help_rotate() {
 	echo "USAGE"
 	echo " $0 PATH DAYS MAX_ROTATIONS"
 	echo "EXAMPLE"
 	echo " $0 /home/backups 1 30"
 }
 
+# all the arguments must exist (just check the last one)
+if [ -z "$max" ]; then
+
+	echo "Bad usage"
+	show_help_rotate
+
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+# the place to be rotated must exist
+if [ ! -e "$place" ]; then
+	error "unexisting directory '$place'"
+
+	exit 2
+fi
+
+# validate max parameter
+if [ "$max" -lt 2 ]; then
+
+	echo "The MAX parameter must be greater than 1"
+
+	show_help_rotate
+
+	exit 3
+fi
+
 # check if the last timestamp was writed
 if [ -f "$last_timestamp_file" ]; then
 
 	# check the timestamp saved in the file
 	timestamp=$(<"$last_timestamp_file")
 	if [ "$timestamp" -lt 1000 ]; then
 		echo "bad format in file $last_timestamp_file"
 		exit
 	fi
 
 	# seconds spent from the last rotation
 	diff_seconds=$(( "$current_timestamp" - "$timestamp" ))
 
 	# expected seconds from the last rotation before continuing
 	expected_seconds=$(( "$days" * 86400 ))
 
 	# check if it's not passed enought time
 	if [ "$diff_seconds" -lt "$expected_seconds" ]; then
 		warn "Doing nothing: last rotation was executed $diff_seconds seconds ago (expected at least $expected_seconds)"
 		exit
 	fi
 fi
 
 # save the last timestamp before rotating everything
 # this will avoid even parallel rotations
 echo $(date +%s) > "$last_timestamp_file"
 
-# all the arguments must exist (just check the last one)
-if [ -z "$max" ]; then
-
-	echo "Bad usage"
-	show_help_rotate
-
-	exit 1
-fi
-
-# the place to be rotated must exist
-if [ ! -e "$place" ]; then
-	error "unexisting directory '$place'"
-
-	exit 2
-fi
-
-# validate max parameter
-if [ "$max" -lt 2 ]; then
-
-	echo "The MAX parameter must be greater than 1"
-
-	show_help_rotate
-
-	exit 3
-fi
-
 # shift all the backups
 after="$max"
 while [[ "$after" -gt 1 ]]; do
 
 	before=$(( "$after" - 1 ))
 
 	# do not process the root directory for no reason in the world if you type that by mistake
 	# the --preserve-root is already implicit but... let's be sure! asd
 
 	before_path="$place.$before"
 	after_path="$place.$after"
 
 	# the source must exist. asd
 	if [ -e "$before_path" ]; then
 
 		copy "$before_path" "$after_path"
 	fi
 
 	#`next
 	after="$before"
 done
 
 # at the end, move the base forward
 copy "$place" "$place.1"
 
 # now you are ready to overwrite "$place"