UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi,

i have question about cron. can we have user based cron file under /var/spool/cron or we should have only root file which can only be accessed by root user or admin and he should only be doing the task of scheduling.

PKS

Hi.

Any user can use cron, depending on how /etc/cron.allow and /etc/cron.deny are configured.

Only root (usually) has direct access to /var/spool/cron, though. Users access their files using the crontab command.

Scott,

One thing to keep in mind that editing the files in /var/spool/cron is not recommended, see crontab for further details.

- DL

I didn't see anyone mention editing anything manually.

Just distributing clues. This one was from some recent experience -- had to clean up a mess on many of 'my' systems where a jr. admin was changing permissions of system files and directories to give users "access" - 'cause he didn't know.

To create or edit the cron file of any user from root user. You can use this following command:

# crontab -u <user> -e
If the user wants to create or edit his on cron file by himself (without root user involvement), it is still possible by using this following steps:

Code:

# su - <user>
$ crontab -e

However, as mentioned on the previous post, it is depends on how the /etc/cron.allow and /etc/cron.deny files are configured on your machine.

That is way too complicated. Any user that is allowed to submit cron jobs can edit their own crontab file with just:

Code:

crontab -e

You don't need special privileges unless you are editing someone else's crontab file.

The crontab utility runs with setUID root privileges so it can create the directory to contain the crontab file, the crontab file, change its owner to the user's UID with group cron, and then reduces privileges to run an editor for the user to update their own crontab file.