how to configure cron

[rustam_2]

Hi all,
I need to configure cron task for running several patches by turn.
I read documentation and now need some practical advices. Planning these steps:
1. I checked, does this service run or doesnt
$ps -ef |grep cron
root 1633 1 0 Oct 29 ? 0:18 /usr/sbin/cron
my_user 5535 20242 0 11:28:56 console 0:00 grep cron
so here is ok.
2. I checked, does my_user exist in cron.allow tab.
$cd cd /var/adm/cron
$less cron.allow
root
adm
uucp
so my_user doesnt exit here, should i add my user? is it ok if i add with vi?
3. My file rename.sh is in /u02/scripts/ and i manually run this script like this $./rename.sh

So how can i add command in crontab file using crontab -e? should i show my command so: /u02/scripts/./rename.sh? or it's wrong syntax? it is a bit complicated. So help me, please.

Regards,
Rustam

[Jose Mosquera · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, you must add your user "my_user" with vi editor. if you not be skilled with vi editor I suggest you make first a copy of cron.allow file.
#cp -p cron.allow cron.allow.bak
You also add an entry in your cron.allow with this:
#echo my_user >> cron.allow
For "crontab -e" command you must indicate de full path and filename, the file must be enough privileges for execution, in your case "/u02/scripts/rename.sh" is fine. The correct syntax of crontab command can be viewed:
#man crontab

Rgds.

[Hakki Aydin Ucar]

The most important thing with crontab, you must be sure all commands in your script must have full path due to cron does not use your shell.

[Jose Mosquera]

Hi again,

Right! which indicates Hakki is important, the cron does not load the definition of environment that normally a user loads when login to the system (/etc/profile, /etc/PATH, homedir user's profile, etc). Other way could be set and export PATH variable as Global enviroment definition, and any others specific variables requested as particular environment definitions (ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID, etc). With these definitions you have search/execute capabilities for commands.

Rgds.

[rustam_2]

Thanks Jose and Hakki,

I did following actions:
1.Add to cron.allow file my_user
#echo my_user >> cron.allow
2.Opened crontab file with command
$crontab â e and add this line
50 14 * * * /u02/scripts/rename.sh
For running my script at 14:50 everyday
3.$crontab â l shows me
50 14 * * * /u02/scripts/rename.sh

But my script did not run. I checked log file /var/adm/cron/log and found nothing according my script.
What is problem? Does not my user have some privileges to /var/spool/cron/crontabs/my_user file? Or as Hakki said my script has problem? If script has problem log file must have error information. I guess cron doesnt know something about my job.
My script includes this line
mv my_file.log my_file_$(date +%m%d%Y).log

Regards,
rustam

[Jose Mosquera]

Hi,

Have you tested your script at the prompt before try with the cron?
Have your script enough execution privilegues, please post us this command output:
#ls -l /u02/scripts/rename.sh

Rgds.

[rustam_2]

Yeah Jose, i tested manually several times. It works perfect and does what i what. All users have privileges:
$ ls -l /u02/scripts/rename.sh
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root sys 40 Feb 21 15:34 /u02/scripts/rename.sh

[Jose Mosquera]

Could we see the contents of the script?

[rustam_2]

Jose, yeah, you could.

>>Could we see the contents of the script?

I gave at 12:40:42 GMT

>>My script includes this line
>>mv my_file.log my_file_$(date +%m%d%Y).log

[Jose Mosquera]

Hi,

Ooops, is too simply!!! :)

Ok, I guess that directory where run this have enough privileges (execution/write).

Well, this looks a search/execution command path issue. As we have indicate you should include the full path for used commands, or set PATH variable to locate them.
A way to know the full path of a command is:
#whence date
A full path assigned in Global PATH variable will be reported.
Then replace:
date +%m%d%Y
By:
/fullpath/date +%m%d%Y

Please try this...