Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!novavax!infocenter!mhoffman From: mhoffman@infocenter.UUCP (Mike Hoffman) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Subject: Re: invoking write from cron Message-ID: <2134@infocenter.UUCP> Date: 26 Apr 89 20:06:19 GMT References: <175@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> Distribution: usa Organization: Gould CSD, Fort Lauderdale, FL Lines: 33 in article <175@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, tomc@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Tom Corsetti) says: > > I'm trying to set up a script that runs from cron, checks files > and sends me a message when certain files change in size. I have > the following code in the script that sends the message: > echo "message to send" | write userid > I've found the best solution to this (and many other similar tasks) is Kenneth Ingham's "watcher" program. It runs from cron and uses a control file to check on most anything you want it to, and compares the results of its check to previous runs. It will send mail, so you can have "biff y" and achieve the same results as "write userid". Watcher should be available through your local comp.sources.misc archive site. For general information, the author's address: Kenneth Ingham University of New Mexico Computing Center 2701 Campus NE Albuquerque, NM 87131 See also: "Keeping Watch over the Flocks by Night (and day), Kenneth Ingham, Summer 198 Usenix proceedings. Hope this helps. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael J. Hoffman {uunet,uflorida!novavax,sun,pur-ee}gould!mhoffman Manufacturing Engineering Encore Computer Corporation "Curiouser and curiouser!" -Alice