UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Is this the correct entry to touch a file on 6/6 5AM?

Code:

00 05 06 06 * touch /support/home/.no_copy

Moderator's Comments:

Please use next time code tags for your code and data

Yes...

Thanks.

Since you did not specify the OS, please pay attention to a few things about cron:

Code:

 00 05 06 06 * touch /support/home/.no_copy >>tmp/cron_touch.log  2&1

Some OS will send messages (yes error messages...) if the standard output and STD-err are not specified ( redirected to files...)
the same goes if you have in your envirronment things related to interactive shell (e.g TERM set etc...)
be aware also the PATH is VERY limited and no user env. bariable are set...
(That is the first thing that should come to your mind if a job fails when using cron but works when you execute it by command line...)

It's on AIX 6.1.

To redirect correctly the outputs I think on AIX its not necessary ( I wonder if it doesnt default to /dev/null ) but HP-UX will complain..
The rest stays true... So if you write a job like

Code:

0 3-17 * * * (. ./.profile;sh /home/something_cool)

Add in the .profile a test for interactive shell or not...

And for compatibility I stick to e.g:

Code:

 04 05 * * 1,2,3,4,5 /sm/cron/bin/t_ux >>/sm/cron/log/t_ux.log 2>&1

The reason I do not use 1-5 is for the case I have to skip a day...