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get system date, format it, pass it as a parameter to a perl script - all in cron job

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting get system date, format it, pass it as a parameter to a perl script - all in cron job
# 1  
Old 02-26-2011
get system date, format it, pass it as a parameter to a perl script - all in cron job
I am trying to get the string containing date - in a specfic format actually, although I think that part is inconsequencial -
Code:
1110226^1110226^1110226^1110226^1110226

- through echo or printf or in some other way - created within a cront job and passed as a parameter to a perl script.
Now, I know it would probably be easier to manipulate the date within that perl script, but I would rather not touch it and pass parameters to it instead - this way I don't have to change the script every time I need a different parameter.
Here is how I get that string at command line:
Code:
/bin/date +'1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d'

Here is the cron job
Code:
$ crontab -l
23 00 * * 1-5 [ -f /home/db2inst1/.bash_profile ] && . /home/db2inst1/.bash_profile && \
  /bin/perl /home/db2inst1/scripts/load_01.pl -u xxx -p yyy -i /home/db2inst1/sql/sql_01.sql \
  -args /bin/date +`1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d` -o /home/db2inst1/OUT/whatever.txt > /home/db2inst1/logs/whatever.log 2>&1

Here is what cron says:
Code:
/home/db2inst1/scripts/load_01.pl -u xxx -p yyy -i /home/db2inst1/sql/sql_01.sql -args /bin/date +`1
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/home/db2inst1>
X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/usr/bin:/bin>
X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=db2inst1>
X-Cron-Env: <USER=db2inst1>
/bin/sh: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching ``'
/bin/sh: -c: line 1: syntax error: unexpected end of file

It looks like it is not reading % correctly - do I need something like backslashes in front of those or something?

---------- Post updated at 07:12 PM ---------- Previous update was at 07:02 PM ----------

OK, put the back slashes in front of % signs
Here is what cron says:
Code:
/bin/sh: 1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d: command not found

Although it did read the whole thing and invokes perl and everything else - only that parameter was not created correctly.

---------- Post updated at 08:20 PM ---------- Previous update was at 07:12 PM ----------

It took it -
Code:
`/bin/date +1\%y\%m\%d^1\%y\%m\%d^1\%y\%m\%d^1\%y\%m\%d^1\%y\%m\%d`

Last edited by Scott; 02-26-2011 at 10:33 PM.. Reason: Please use code tags.
# 2  
Old 02-27-2011
my word that looks terrible. If you were on my team I'd
have words!

for pity's sake be sensible and put all that in a shell wrapper;
just because you can do very long cron entries doesn't make it right.

for one, if you make a silly mistake on a line it can throw all your
cron jobs.
for two, it makes other people reading the crontab happier

try it and your problem might go away.
# 3  
Old 02-27-2011
Me 100% agree with bigearsbilly !
# 4  
Old 02-28-2011
Points taken
I agree with the points you've made. I just had to get functionality - before elegance. Will do something like this
Code:
#!/bin/bash
. /home/db2inst1/.bash_profile 
exit 0
#!/bin/perl
/bin/perl /home/db2inst1/scripts/load_01.pl -u xxx -p yyy -i /home/db2inst1/sql/sql_01.sql \
  -args /bin/date +`1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d^1%y%m%d` -o /home/db2inst1/OUT/whatever.txt > /home/db2inst1/logs/whatever.log 2>&1
exit 0


Thanks!
Last edited by Franklin52; 02-28-2011 at 03:00 AM.. Reason: Please use code tags
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