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Handling tape errors in script

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# 1  
Old 03-07-2013
Handling tape errors in script
AIX 7.1
Here's the script
Code:
#!/bin/ksh
find . -print > filelist.txt
backup -ivqf/dev/rmt0 < filelist.txt > backup.log
if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
    echo "Backup to tape failed!" >> backup.log
else
   echo "Backup to tape successfull!" >> backup.log
fi
mail -v -s "Backup report" maillist < backup.log

I'd run this from cron.
But for now, while I'm testing the first time I ran it I got this message on the console:
Code:
backup: 0511-089 Cannot open /dev/rmt0: The input or output media is write-protected.
Mount volume 1 on /dev/rmt0.
        Press Enter to continue.

If I had such an error running from cron, no one would see it.
How can I handle this situation?

Thanks,
-dog
# 2  
Old 03-07-2013
It is likely being printed to standard error, file descriptor 2. You are capturing stdout only, FD 1, but you can capture both (preferably to separate logfiles).

You can simplify the script by redirecting stdout of the script itself, instead of reopening the same file 5 times. Also, there's no reason to use $? here, you can plug the command directly into the if statement.

Code:
#!/bin/ksh
exec >backup.log # Open once instead of 5 times
exec 2>backup.err # All stderr lines will end up here.

find . -print > filelist.txt

if backup -ivqf/dev/rmt0 < filelist.txt
then
   echo "Backup to tape successfull!"
else
    echo "Backup to tape failed!"
fi
cat backup.log backup.err | mail -v -s "Backup report" maillist

This User Gave Thanks to Corona688 For This Post:
landog
# 3  
Old 03-07-2013
Thanks!

What if the stderr message is this:
Code:
backup: 0511-089 Cannot open /dev/rmt0: The input or output media is write-protected.
Mount volume 1 on /dev/rmt0.
        Press Enter to continue

Would it just hang as no one could "Press Enter" ?
# 4  
Old 03-07-2013
Yes, it would probably just hang. I guess you would get an error message sent to your email from cron. If not, you could have the script create a "success" file. Then, later in the evening, have cron run script #2 to see if "success" file is there. If not, script #2 sends you an email. When you get email, you un-write-protect the tape, or whatever other action needed.

Hope this helps.
# 5  
Old 03-08-2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by landog
Thanks!

What if the stderr message is this:
Code:
backup: 0511-089 Cannot open /dev/rmt0: The input or output media is write-protected.
Mount volume 1 on /dev/rmt0.
        Press Enter to continue

Would it just hang as no one could "Press Enter" ?
When your script is run from cron, it has nothing to read ENTER from -- no terminal. When the utility tries to read, it will get EOF or some sort of error, and probably quit. A badly-coded program might go into an infinite loop though.

A well-coded program could even tell that it has no terminal, and not bother trying.
This User Gave Thanks to Corona688 For This Post:
landog
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