I'm new to Cron Jobs... but I would like to try something to make it a little easier on myself here at work.

I have a template that I use that's in txt /text file. It looks like this:

Backup Group name1 via Legato:
-

Backup Group name2 via Legato:
-

Backup Group name3 via Legato:
-


etc..

It is only 15 groups so it's not a big file persay just long. I check the status of my backups and then log it as successful or not... 99% they are.

I would like to create a cron job so that it has this template in it and can simply email me everyday M-F this template so that way I can just fill it in, save it and be done.

I am currently running Fedora 7 on my pc.

Thanks for the help in advance,
-Nigel

maybe something like this (or a script that cron uses and then you do the "legwork" in the script)
this should send the txt file to you with the subject of 'backup template' every day at 8:00am Mon-Fri. see man 5 crontab for more information.

Hope this helps.

The program to send yourself (or anyone else) mail from stdout is called "mail" although that's really an alias for mailx on my system. Any cron job not directed to /dev/null should send you a mail automatically. If you want to limit your output, you can put the mail pipe in the script you're running:
Will send a mail to steve with the output from rsync (btw rsync is awesome).

Joel

Thanks guys.

I have never written a script before sooo... I don't know how to do that.

I have heard or RSYNC but never used it so I have no clue how it even works... :-(


This is a silly question but where do I put the cron job or how do I start it?

Is the path that I must take for the cron job /dev/null

?

Still trying to learn as much as possible about linux :-)

Thanks again,
-Nigel

if it is to be run as a particular user (yourself) then use the command crontab -e (to edit your crontab) and add the example i provided (or whatever works for you based on your review of the manual page).

this places it in /var/spool/cron/<your-user> (for example)

if you want it to run from "the system" (as root from one of the /etc/cron.* directories) it is similar in syntax but you can consult the other cron-jobs in the /etc/cron.* directories for examples.

I suggest using a non-root user if it is not something that needs root privileges to perform (and this doesn't sound like it does)

Nice desc/tutorial about cron: http://www.adminschoice.com/docs/cro...Crontab%20file
BTW, always use the full/absolute paths to all cmds you use in a cron script, as the cron env is extremely minimal.

agreed 100%. my crontab does. in my haste to post i forgot my better practices...

definetely a good practice to use absolute path as chrism01 noted.

So learn how to do it.

Here's a Quick Synopsis: Open a text editor (man vi; man emacs). Enter the text. Save the file. Change the permissions (man chmod) to executable. Enter the script's name on the command line.

I'm bein' real with you man: it's not hard. Getting over that self-defeating belief is the biggest step toward computing empowerment.

So learn about it. man rsync tells you everything you need to know.

Cron starts it for you, that's the whole idea.


/dev/null is the "bit bucket" --- you direct output there if you want it to disappear:

Good! I suggest a structured approach, such as reading a detailed book on the subject. My favorite is Running Linux.