UNIX Desktop Questions & Answers

OK... I'm fairly new to unix having the admin handed to me on a platter w/almost no training.
However, being a programmer, I do pick up things fairly easily, but this one is getting the best of me.

I have a unix server that runs multiple versions of the same ERP system, hand crafted for our company.
This system is accessed by our users via telnet pro and automatically brings up an ascii style menu driven by PFkeys.

Each version of this program is defined by "comany".
During our month end process, I need to send a message to ONLY the users of a Specific company.

I've gotten to the point where I can identify all the users of a specific company and grab their tty... however... if I use the write command generically
(write blk < "/usr2/db/etc/tst1" >/dev/pts/244 2>/dev/null & )
even directing it to a specific tty... it always sends it to the initial login and sends the "you're also logged in at..." message to the other instances.

If I use the write command with the -n variable
(write -n c1f1n4.conagra.cag blk pts/244 < /usr2/db/etc/tst1)
... it grabs the correct terminal... but I can't seem to feed the precreated text file to dump to it as I can with the write command with no variables.

I've tried the wall command with similar results... I have to designate the group (as I could create groups based on the company)
(wall -g megvf /usr2/db/etc/tst1)
but again... though the wall command SAYS you can use a filename... it doesn't dump the file, but simply seems to put out the path/filename I typed in as the parameter.

I've tried the tee command too... echo doesn't use a predefined file... the pg command seems to work to an extent
(pg /usr2/db/etc/tst1 | tee /dev/pts/244)
but it also pages to the sending terminal and I'm not sure what that would do if run inside a script.

Not only that... but ALL of the above... except the wall command... do not overwrite the menu the user is viewing when logged in, and all seem to freeze up the users system.

Help... I'm pulling my hair out.
Suggestions or better yet an exact script sample would be great.

try

Code:

cat sometextfile | wall

also you wouldn't want to "quote" the path when you're using shell redirect.
so

Code:

wall < "/path/to/file"

would cause that to be a literal string.

Code:

wall < /path/to/file/

should work fine.