Running process from cron with PTTY

sebell · 10-01-2007, 10:12 AM

Folks,

Is there a way to run a command from cron allocating
a pseudo-terminal? I have a closed application that
performs TTY checking, and although the application
doesn't require interaction, this checking process
prevents running it from cron.

- Scott

choogendyk · 10-02-2007, 07:53 PM

You could try screen. It is typically used to create a ptty terminal session that can be detached and reconnected later for long running processes. You could create a cron script that runs screen and then runs the app inside that session. You should get a ptty when the app tests.

http://www.gnu.org/software/screen/

chrism01 · 10-03-2007, 06:36 AM

How about calling it from 'expect'; a tool that fakes tty env so you can automate 'manual' programs.
See eg http://linux.maruhn.com/sec/expect.html

sebell · 10-03-2007, 07:57 AM

Thanks for the reply guys!

Both are good solutions, but since I don't have
`expect' handy (and I don't need it's excellent
interactive feature-set) I went with screen.

This is much better than the hand-written hack
I had in place using forkpty(3).

- Scott