Redirect stdout and stderr

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

How can I redirect and append stdout and stderr to a file when using cron? Here is my crontab file:

*/5 * * * * /dir/php /dir/process_fns.php >>& /dir/dump.txt

Cron gives me an 'unexpected character found in line' when trying to add my crontab file.

Regards,

Zach Curtis
POPULUS

2

http://wks.uts.ohio-state.edu/unix_course/intro-69.html

3

Ok, thanks.

The error from my crontab was a result of '*/5'. Here my new crontab file that does now work, with both stderr and stdout being sent to a file.

5 * * * * /dir/php /dir/process_fns.php >> /dir/dump.txt 2>&1

Zach

4

Remove the /5 and replace with 5 or 05 to get rid of the unexpected character error.

(I see you have figured it out!)

5

Some versions of cron (I think Vixie cron - not sure though)will allow you to use the "*/5 * * * *" notation to mean "every five minutes".
Check your version of cron to see if it supports this.

I though it would have been the stray "&" near the end of the line...

6

well i would say that the empty "&" was the problem.

changing */5 to 5 would change the program to run at 5 mins past every hour rather than running every 5 minutes.

dunno if that is different in different versions of cron.

what do you say peter

7

Who is Peter?

8

Maybe that's me..... although I doubt that as I'm not involved in this post. But I'll take it as a vote of confidence!

9

sorry. i meant livinFree.
i guess i was sleeping when i posted that.