Why does this cron job not work? 1

[lcs01]

Here is the output of 'crontab -e':

01 08 * * * /home/userID/mybin/saveLogs.pl > /dev/null 2>&1
01 09 * * * /home/userID/logs/zipLogs.csh > /dev/null 2>&1

The first one works OK. But the 2nd does not work at all.

However, while I was in /home/userID/logs and manually execute this script 'zipLogs.csh', it works just fine.

BTW, the script 'zipLogs.csh' is very simple:

#! /bin/csh -f

set today = `date +%Y_%m_%d`
echo $today
set log = "log_$today.tar"
echo "log = $log"
tar cvf $log *.log
gzip $log
\rm *.log
echo "exit ..."

I can not figure out why it does not work through cron job. By saying 'not working', I meant that there is no files with this name pattern, e.g. 'log_2007_05_30.tar.gz' created in the subdir '/home/userID/logs'! Again, when I execute it from cmdline './zipLogs.csh', it works just fine.

Could someone tell what I have missed here?

Just for your reference, the platform is linux.

Thanks for your help.

 

[hoinz]

Maybe you are looking in the wrong directory?
Where in your script do you tell cron to place the log file in your subdirectory?

hope this helps

 

[lcs01]

No, the path is right. I put it on the 'logs' subdir. Just want to make things simpler. I just can not understand why it does not work. Must some thing simple and stupid.

 

[thedaver]

try making the script run as root from crontab to ensure that your script has sufficient rights to write in the folder.

I noticed you wrote "\rm" rather than "rm"



D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[hoinz]

Hello,

thedaver's idea may be helpful here.
Apart from that, I may be a bit dense. Sorry for that.
But what do you mean by I put it on the 'logs' subdir. ?
How do you put anything in a cron script to a subdir without using some kind of cd subdir or full path name?

To make things clear:
Just calling a script by its full path /home/userID/logs/zipLogs.csh does not mean that /home/userID/logs will be the script's working directory.

Have a look at your home directory. The log file may be there.
Or, for further diagnosis, remove the > /dev/null 2>&1
Or, even better, put a cd command in your script.

regards

 

[thedaver]

hahahaha!
hoinz, I'll bet you a $1.00 that you're right. crond probably is trying to do the work in the cron or root user's ~ folder.

lcs01, add a hard "cd /your/log/folder/" statement in your script!

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[hoinz]

agreed, it also could be in the cron or root user's ~ folder.

 

[lcs01]

Thank you both, hoinz & thedaver!

I am sure "cd /your/log/folder/" will work. Gee, I have not done shell scripting for almost ten years and I guess I forgot everything.

Thanks again!