"." in crontab

[Coolmar]

We have a crontab with the following syntax for one of the entries:

00 05 * * 1-6 . ${HOME}/scripts/script.sh

This script works fine...however, what is the "." for?

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi:

The dot-space-script notation means to source or read a script to obtain environmental variables for propagation into the current shell. I this case, the script obviously contains executable statements. You can remove the leading dot character. In this context it's not doing anything.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Coolmar]

So basically the same idea as if you would be running say the .profile from the cron?

[Patrick Wallek]

Yes, exactly.

[Coolmar]

Thanks guys.

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi,

as JRF mentioned, the idea might have been so but in this context it does not work as such.

So, can you just remove it from there to avoid any ambiguities in the future.


kind regards
yogeeraj