> > > > > I know the basics of cron and its crontab file, but have a couple of > > questions about the specifics of how Debian implements cron. In other > > words, I've never seen cron divided with subdirs for daily, weekly, > > monthly, etc. I get the point of doing things daily or weekly, but I > > wonder what about the specific time to do these events.. > The biggest difference in how Debian handles things wrt the subdirectories is the run-parts program. Check out the manpage for some more information on how it works.
Basically, scripts in any language can be run routinely (daily, weekly, monthly) with only one crontab entry. This allows packages to add scripts without munging-up the crontab file. The only downside is that the system looses the ability to specify a time for a particular script to be run. > The scripts in cron.* don't run magically. They are run by cron that > checks /etc/crontab. Mine looks like: > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > # /etc/crontab: system-wide crontab > # Unlike any other crontab you don't have to run the `crontab' > # command to install the new version when you edit this file. > # This file also has a username field, that none of the other crontabs > do. > > SHELL=/bin/sh > PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin > > # m h dom mon dow user command > 42 6 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily > 47 6 * * 7 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly > 52 6 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly > 30 10,15 * * 1-5 root /etc/cron.coffee > * * * * * root atrun -d -l 0.5 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > This is pretty much an `ordinary' crontab file with an additional user > field. Normal users have the `ordinary' crontab files like they exist > on other unices. Personal preference: I like having the entries (and heading) separated by tabs - it keeps thing nice an orderly. Like this: # min hr dom mon dow user command 32 23 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily 42 23 * * 7 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly 52 23 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly > > > I'm at a point to where I want to run a mirror process to fire off > > daily at about 1:00 am local. Could someone outline the best way for me > > to implement this into Debian's cron setup? > > You can add your script to /etc/cron.daily and change the time these > scripts are run from 6:42 am to 1:00 am, or you can add an extra item > running your script. > If you want your mirror updated at a particular time, you'll need to add an entry into /etc/crontab yourself. If having it run *approximately* the same time each day is close enough, then add you script to /etc/cdron.daily. -- Chuck Stickelman, Owner E-Mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Practical Network Design Voice: (419) 529-3841 9 Chambers Road FAX: (419) 529-3625 Mansfield, OH 44906-1302 USA -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
