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using crontab to run scripts at boot

Hey all-
I'm trying to hook a couple of scripts into the boot sequence of my ubuntu hardy machine. I entered the following line into the crontab

Code:

@reboot bash ~/monitor.sh

But it doesn't seem to be running when I boot it up. Does this command only run on reboots and not during startup from an off state?

Cheers,
Jarrod

I think the proper place to put scripts for boot is in the init scripts. I think Ubuntu now uses the Upstart system, it used to use files in /etc/init.d. Not sure at what point that migration occurred, but those are your two best options.

You can put your script in /etc/rc.local

I've never seen that syntax for a crontab before - where did you find that? :}

The "normal" way to do what you're trying to achieve would be to put
the script into /etc/init.d and make an appropriate symlink in rc1.d

I found that particular crontab syntax here:
http://www.debianhelp.co.uk/crontab.htm
It seems like it would be pretty handy for things you want to run weekly, monthly, etc.

I'm trying out the init.d/rc1.d symlink setup for now. Hopefully this will be a bit more stable.

On a different note, I have an opinion question: The monitor script waits until another script (we'll call it configure.sh) arrives from a remote machine, and then runs it. Configure.sh then runs the two actual business scripts that I need. Does that sound like a reasonable method or is there a better way than daisy-chaining scripts like that?

EDIT: Hm. putting the monitor.sh script in /etc/init.d and creating a symlink to it called Smonitor in rc1.d doesn't seem to be working. I don't think it's running at all. Granted, I'm not sure, because I'm booting up a remote machine here, but since none of the output directories are getting created I think monitor.sh isn't getting executed on reboot. Do I need to change my script to accept a "start" argument like it says in the Debian policy manual?

Interesting ... which version the vixie cron is that?
The dillon one that comes with Slack 12.2 doesn't have the feature.

Cheers,
Tink

Tink-
It appears that it's the 4th Berkeley Distribution, dated 31 October 2006. I can't find a specific version though. I have a bit of an different question for you- remember this while loop condition you gave me a month or so ago?

Code:

while $( ec2din --simple | awk 'BEGIN{flag=0}{if($0 ~ /pending/){flag++}}END{if ( flag > 0 ) {exit 0} else {exit 1}}' );

I have a changed version in my monitor.sh script, and I'm wondering if maybe I messed it up:

Code:

while $( find $PWD -name configure.sh | awk 'BEGIN{flag=0}{if($0 ~ /"/root/configure.sh"/){flag++}}END{if ( flag = 0 ) {exit 0} else {exit 1}}' );

  do

    sleep 30

  done



bash ~/configure.sh

What this is supposed to do is wait until configure.sh is transferred to it from a remote machine, and then execute configure.sh. I am wondering if the quotes in the if condition are throwing it off. Thoughts?

Two things with that:

a) strip the quotes. Escape the /'s with backslash:

Code:

/\/root\/configure.sh/

b) You're not comparing flag to zero, you're assigning 0 to flag:

Code:

flag == 0

instead of

Code:

flag =0

Cheers,
Tink