freebsd-nq/usr.sbin/cron/doc

#/* Copyright 1988,1990,1993 by Paul Vixie
# * All rights reserved
# *
# * Distribute freely, except: don't remove my name from the source or
# * documentation (don't take credit for my work), mark your changes (don't
# * get me blamed for your possible bugs), don't alter or remove this
# * notice.  May be sold if buildable source is provided to buyer.  No
# * warrantee of any kind, express or implied, is included with this
# * software; use at your own risk, responsibility for damages (if any) to
# * anyone resulting from the use of this software rests entirely with the
# * user.
# *
# * Send bug reports, bug fixes, enhancements, requests, flames, etc., and
# * I'll try to keep a version up to date.  I can be reached as follows:
# * Paul Vixie          <paul@vix.com>          uunet!decwrl!vixie!paul
# */

Vixie Cron V3.0
December 27, 1993
[V2.2 was some time in 1992]
[V2.1 was May 29, 1991]
[V2.0 was July 5, 1990]
[V2.0-beta was December 9, 1988]
[V1.0 was May 6, 1987]
Paul Vixie

This is a version of 'cron' that is known to run on BSD 4.[23] systems.  It
is functionally based on the SysV cron, which means that each user can have
their own crontab file (all crontab files are stored in a read-protected
directory, usually /var/cron/tabs).  No direct support is provided for
'at'; you can continue to run 'atrun' from the crontab as you have been
doing.  If you don't have atrun (i.e., System V) you are in trouble.

A messages is logged each time a command is executed; also, the files
"allow" and "deny" in /var/cron can be used to control access to the
"crontab" command (which installs crontabs).  It hasn't been tested on
SysV, although some effort has gone into making the port an easy one.

This is more or less the copyright that USENET contributed software usually
has.  Since ATT couldn't use this version if they had to freely distribute
source, and since I'd love to see them use it, I'll offer some rediculously
low license fee just to have them take it.  In the unlikely event that they
do this, I will continue to support and distribute the pseudo-PD version, so
please, don't flame me for wanting my work to see a wider distribution.

To use this: Sorry, folks, there is no cutesy 'Configure' script.  You'll
have to go edit a couple of files... So, here's the checklist:

	Read all the FEATURES, INSTALL, and CONVERSION files
	Edit config.h
	Edit Makefile
		(both of these files have instructions inside; note that
		 some things in config.h are definable in Makefile and are
		 therefore surrounded by #ifndef...#endif)
	'make'
	'su' and 'make install'
		(you may have to install the man pages by hand)
	kill your existing cron process
		(actually you can run your existing cron if you want, but why?)
	build new crontabs using /usr/lib/{crontab,crontab.local}
		(either put them all in "root"'s crontab, or divide it up
		 and rip out all the 'su' commands, collapse the lengthy
		 lists into ranges with steps -- basically, this step is
		 as much work as you want to make it)
	start up the new cron
		(must be done as root)
	watch it. test it with 'crontab -r' and watch the daemon track your
		changes.
	if you like it, change your /etc/{rc,rc.local} to use it instead of
		the old one.

$FreeBSD$