Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!vmp!oc
From: oc@vmp.com (Orlan Cannon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: I can't get at(1) to work on AT&T Sys V 3.2.1 iapx386
Summary: ulimit problem
Message-ID: <1990Jun5.123804.8350@vmp.com>
Date: 5 Jun 90 12:38:04 GMT
References: <1990Jun05.021452.22612@uhura.neoucom.EDU>
Distribution: na
Organization: Video Marketing & Publications, Inc., Oradell, NJ
Lines: 21

In article <1990Jun05.021452.22612@uhura.neoucom.EDU>, wtm@uhura.neoucom.EDU (Bill Mayhew) writes:
> 
> The user sumbitted at jobs fail with diagnostic mail sent to the
> user complaining "bad ulimit".

What happens here is that "at" jobs are run by "cron".  And cron
is running with the ulimit that was in effect when cron was started,
probably at system boot time.  When you create an "at" job, it
builds a file that includes your environment and other things, such
as your ulimit.  If your ulimit is higher than cron's, it will fail.

The answer is to put a higher ulimit into effect in your bootup
script before it starts cron.

As to why the default ulimit is so low...  that's another story
entirely...

-- 
Orlan Cannon                            oc@vmp.com
Video Marketing & Publications, Inc.    ...!uunet!vmp!oc
Oradell, NJ 07649                       (800) 627-4551