crontab: 12 3 12 4 4 cat /etc/passwd

praveen_b744 · 01-05-2010, 06:39 AM

Hi,

If I configure a crontab like below.
12 3 12 4 4 cat /etc/passwd

I know that the cat command will get executed at the configured time. But where will the output of that command go?

If it is something like below, then out put will be routed to /tmp/file1.
12 3 12 4 4 cat /etc/passwd > /tmp/file1

Could any one please help me in understanding this?

cruedi · 01-05-2010, 06:59 AM

It should email it to the crontabs owner

Web31337 · 01-05-2010, 07:00 AM

what's the problem? i don't see your question. output goes in /tmp/file1 and?
to obtain outputs from default mode, you can use mail command after it executes.

praveen_b744 · 01-05-2010, 07:10 AM

Thanks for replying.
I have checked the mail of the user. But some times it is not giving mail also.
In some scenarios there will be many mails to that user.In that, I am not able figure out the email which was thrown by crontab.
I am not able to navigate through the list of the mails.

bsnithin · 01-05-2010, 07:27 AM

Praveen, if you want to see the contents of /etc/passwd file on email. Redirect the output of cat /etc/passwd to a temporary file as you did above. Then use the mail/ mailx command to mail this output.