how to detect that written textfile has closed

[aschneck]

Hi there,
I have a bit terrific problem / question.
I have to write some scripts that should automate some functions in our sun-environment.
We have several cobol programs that are running against an oracle db on the sun. Those programs create textfiles on the system (e.g. a listing of something). Now those files should be send automatically from inside shell-scripts via email or ftp to people/ftp-sites.
Sending those files via email/ftp is not a problem.
My problem is to detect when a file is ready to send. Example: Suppose the script shell check the directory /files/dir1 and send every file there via email and this script will started every hour by cron. Now just while the script checks the directory a cobol program is still running and writing to a file that it has created in /files/dir1.
How could I check in the script, that this file is still written and shouldnt be send?
Any ideas?
Axel

 

[mrregan]

You can use fuser to detect if a file is being used.

 

[aschneck]

HI,
thanks, I just tried it. On the Cobol programs it seems working. What I wondered about was when opening a textfile in mcedit (editor from midnight commander) this file wont be shown as open/user by fuser.
regards,
Axel

 

[olded]

Axel:

Most editors - vi included - work with either the contents of a file in a buffer or a copy of the original file. The editor only has the file "open" when you command the editor to explicitly save the contents, and that's probably the only time fuser shows the file as being opened.

Regards,

 

[olded]

Axel:

Most editors - vi included - work with either the contents of a file in a buffer or a copy of the original file. The editor only has the file "open" when you command the editor to explicitly save the contents, and that's probably the only time fuser shows the file as being opened.

Regards,

Ed

 

[aschneck]

OK, thanks again.
best regards,
Axel