Crontab on AIX

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi

I'm trying to set up a crontab on AIX and for some reason it's not running my script at the specified time - here's what I have tried so far:

30 14 * * * <scriptname>
35 14 *** /directory/<scriptname>
40,14 *** /directory/<scriptname> (nb crontab won't accept the comma)

1 and 2 look OK when I go "crontab -l", seems to be fine, but my script doesn't run... any ideas? :o

---------- Post updated at 07:57 AM ---------- Previous update was at 07:53 AM ----------

Hmmm seems that whoever set my environment up set it up to be 1hr ahead of the current time, do'h!!! So, I'll try to re-schedule as per the server time and not the PC time.

---------- Post updated at 08:04 AM ---------- Previous update was at 07:57 AM ----------

Alas, it didn't work... any ideas? :slight_smile:

2
  • did you check executable permission on your script?
30 14 * * * /dir/<scriptname>
  • is it working?
3

I can run my script at command line with no problems, is that what you mean?

4

i meant your script is working properly as cron entry in format?
min hour * * * /dir/<scriptname>

try this appropriate date and check your mail and cron log.
and be sure env variables already are set in your script.

5

Additionally,
1.Use full path mentioning the script location in the cron entry.

30 14 * * * /home/dir1/dir2/<scriptname>

2.Check if you are (your user name) allowed to execute cron job. The sysadmin might have included you in /etc/cron.deny file. which prohibits the user from running a cron job

6

Cheers for the feedback. I'm working on something else at the moment (hurrah for priorities), but I'll come back to this ASAP, sometime tomorrow.

Thanks again.

---------- Post updated 05-13-11 at 07:58 AM ---------- Previous update was 05-12-11 at 10:46 AM ----------

@ygemici - Yes, I believe it's working in the format you metion, i.e. I can schedule the job by going "crontab <mycrontab>", that's alright. The problem is that when the server hits the time specified in the crontab, the script isn't executed. I'm still new to UNIX so I'll take a look into mail and cron logs.

@michaelrozar17 - I made sure to use the full path, but that seemed to have no effect. The sys admin says I have permissions to run crontab and I haven't received any error messages to suggest otherwise (well, any obvious errors).

Thanks both for the suggestions. :slight_smile:

---------- Post updated at 09:21 AM ---------- Previous update was at 07:58 AM ----------

@ygemici -Score, got something in my mail... 

-- 
 From daemon Fri May 13 15:15:01  2011
 Received: (from daemon@localhost) by  <server>.sun.ctlmcof.fr (AIX5.3/8.13.4/8.11.0) id p4DDF15H4046954 for  <user>; Fri, 13 May 2011 15:15:01 +0200
 Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 15:15:01  +0200
 From:  daemon
 Message-Id:  <201105131315.p4DDF15H4046954@<server>.sun.ctlmcof.fr>
 To:  tallyman
 Subject: Output from cron job  /dir/<script>, <user>@<server>, exit status  126
  
 Cron  Environment:
  SHELL  =
  PATH=/usr/bin:/etc:/usr/sbin:/usr/ucb:/usr/bin/X11:/sbin:/usr/java14/jre/bin:/usr/java14/bin:/usr/java131/jre/bin:/usr/java131/bin
  CRONDIR=/var/spool/cron/crontabs
  ATDIR=/var/spool/cron/atjobs
  LOGNAME=tallyman
  HOME=/apps/<user>
  
 Your "cron" job executed on  <server> on Fri May 13 15:15:00 DFT 2011
 /dir/<script>
  
  
 produced the following  output:
  
 sh: /dir/<script>: cannot  execute
  
  
 *************************************************
 Cron: The previous message is the  standard output
       and standard error of one of  your cron commands.

--

Does this mean anything to you? :slight_smile:

7

sh: /dir/<script>: cannot execute :wall:Is it what I think it is????

Please post the output od crontab -l from your login. Note, each user has their own cron space

regards,
Ahamed

8

It seems permission related to me (think someone else said it could be that above).

I'm not at my work PC atm, but the output of crontab -l is...

35 14 *** /directory/<scriptname>

9

Is it exactly like this? Shouldn't you replace directory and <scriptname> appropriately? That is what the error says or did you edit it to keep it confidential? Sorry if I am mistaken.

regards,
Ahamed

10

You're right, I had to edit it to keep it confidential (although, no one could really do anything by just knowing the dir and script name I guess...).

Other than <directory> and <scriptname>, the output of crontab -l is exactly

PS anything I have posted in this tread which contains <>, means I have removed something to keep things a bit confidential.

I need to have a chat with the admins, they claim they gave me the correct rights to run crontab but I don't believe them. :slight_smile:

Cheers for your help.

Regards,

11