editing crontab

djgerbavore · 05-25-2005, 12:25 PM

hello,

I'm trying to change and add command to my crontab file. when i do:

Code:

crontab -e root

it takes me to a file so i can edit and change. Then i go and change something, save it, and quit. but when i go back into the crontab none of my setting were saved. How can i edit crontab so that my changes are saved?????? Also i like using vim better than vi, how do i change the VISUAL variable to vim permittedly???? so i don't have to type:

Code:

export VISUAL=vim

everytime.

thanks,.

djgerbavor3

gbonvehi · 05-25-2005, 12:33 PM

To change to vim add export VISUAL=vim somewhere in /etc/profile so changes will be global.

Strange, my cron is not working now... I'll check this out

Edit: This is strange, if I use vim as VISUAL it won't let me update but it will do if I use mcedit, I really don't get it. However I can use vim to edit crontab with my user without problems, the problem is with root.

keefaz · 05-25-2005, 12:54 PM

I noticed this problem some time ago, as I fixed it with
editing /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root by hand, I didn't
search deeper...
I use VISUAL=vim too

djgerbavore · 05-25-2005, 12:58 PM

here are my exact steps, (am i doing something wrong)

i'm logged on as root

Code:

$>crontab -e root

# If you don't want the output of a cron job mailed to you, you have to direct
# any output to /dev/null.  We'll do this here since these jobs should run
# properly on a newly installed system, but if they don't the average newbie
# might get quite perplexed about getting strange mail every 5 minutes. :^)
#
# Run the hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly cron jobs.
# Jobs that need different timing may be entered into the crontab as before,
# but most really don't need greater granularity than this.  If the exact
# times of the hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly cron jobs do not suit your
# needs, feel free to adjust them.
#
# Run hourly cron jobs at 47 minutes after the hour:
47 * * * * /usr/bin/run-parts /etc/cron.hourly 1> /dev/null
#
# Run daily cron jobs at 4:40 every day:
40 4 * * * /usr/bin/run-parts /etc/cron.daily 1> /dev/null
#
# Run weekly cron jobs at 4:30 on the first day of the week:
30 4 * * 0 /usr/bin/run-parts /etc/cron.weekly 1> /dev/null
#
# Run monthly cron jobs at 4:20 on the first day of the month:
20 4 1 * * /usr/bin/run-parts /etc/cron.monthly 1> /dev/null

I change a few things and when i open crontab -e root everything i back to normal.

is there something i'm not doing right?

thanks,

djgerbavore

keefaz · 05-25-2005, 01:02 PM

No, this happen to me too, try instead :

Code:

$> vim /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root

mdarby · 05-25-2005, 01:28 PM

I've noticed this too as of late. mcedit works, but emacs doesn't.
current bug?

djgerbavore · 05-25-2005, 01:33 PM

ya, i noticed everytime i do crontab -e root it generates a new file in /var/spool/crontab directory.

so i just used the vim /var/spool/crontab/root and it works fine.

that is stranges, but not a big deal

thanks everyone,

djgerbavor3

antken · 05-28-2005, 09:24 PM

i found this in google groups because i was having the same problem:

-link to Google groups-

i hope that helps

also i found a good way of seeing whats going on it to attach strace to the crontab -e process i.e.

# ps ax

PID COMMAND
...
1234 crontab -e

# strace -p 1234

this will then show you what the system is doing. if you do it right the text you just entered in to the new crontab should show up in this output.

killerbob · 05-28-2005, 10:00 PM

About crontab, you seem to all be missing the part where /etc/cron.* directories exist. If you want to run something daily, hourly, weekly, monthly, etc. just create a script, make it executable, and link it in /etc/cron.X. No need to edit crontab, unless you want something that isn't already set up.

As for the "visual" variable, just put the export command mentionned above somewhere in /etc/profile.d.

mdarby · 05-29-2005, 06:02 AM

I for one do that, as I assume most here do as well.
The trouble is unless we use mcedit to edit crontab, the crontab is not saved.

antken · 05-29-2005, 09:02 AM

Try using VIM again but when you get to the program try issuing the command 'set compatible' first before you do the editing. ( you can issue this command by pressing : ( colon ) then typing set compatible and hitting enter )

once that has been done and the file saved and vim quit you should find that when issuing a crontab -l that the new bits you just put in are there.

kodon · 05-30-2005, 12:48 AM

i haven't noticed this behavior at all...
but i'm not exporting a VISUAL
and i also haven't linked vi to vim.

djgerbavore · 05-30-2005, 09:24 PM

Quote:

About crontab, you seem to all be missing the part where /etc/cron.* directories exist. If you want to run something daily, hourly, weekly, monthly, etc. just create a script, make it executable, and link it in /etc/cron.X. No need to edit crontab, unless you want something that isn't already set up.

killerbob, that works, but if you want to adjust the time and or add more flexibilty to crantabd you MUST edit teh crontab directly.

antken, thanks for the link

and strace. straces is a very powerful program at times.

thanks,

djgeravor3