fcron-2.9.3

Introduction to fcron

Download location (HTTP):       http://fcron.free.fr/fcron-2.9.3.src.tar.gz
Download location (FTP):        ftp://ftp.seul.org/pub/fcron/fcron-2.9.3.src.tar.gz
Version used:                   2.9.3
Package size:                   372 KB
Estimated Disk space required:  2.7 MB

The fcron package contains the fcron daemon. "It is a periodical command scheduler which aims at replacing Vixie Cron."

fcron recommends:
local mail system (sendmail-8.12.9 or postfix-2.0.7, for example)
fcron utilizes:
Linux_PAM-0.77, openjade-1.3.2 and docbook-dsssl-1.78

Installation of fcron

Fcron uses the cron facility of syslog to log all messages. Since LFS does not set up this facility in /etc/syslog.conf, it needs to be done prior to installing fcron. This command will append the necessary line to the current /etc/syslog.conf.

cat >> /etc/syslog.conf << "EOF"
# Begin fcron addition to /etc/syslog.conf

cron.* -/var/log/cron.log

# End fcron addition
EOF

The configuration file has been modified, so reloading the sysklogd daemon will activate the changes.

/etc/rc.d/init.d/sysklogd reload

Install fcron by running the following commands:

./configure &&
make &&
make install

Install fcron without MTA

Fcron does not require a mail transfer agent (MTA) to run, but will use one if it is installed to email you the results of the fcron script. If you wish to install without a MTA, run the following commands:

./configure --without-sendmail &&
make &&
make install

Command explanations

--with-dsssl-dir=/usr/share/sgml/docbook/dsssl-stylesheets-1.78 : Can be added IF you have installed openjade and dsssl-stylesheets.

Configuring fcron

make install script

After the files are installed, the make install script enters into a configuration routine. The first test will be for a group named fcron. If it does not exist, you will be given the command line that the script proposes to run and a prompt for a 'y' or 'n'. This is repeated to create a user named fcron and to install a script in the init.d directory with the appropriate symbolic links in runlevels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The final configuration step is to stop any current fcron processes and start the new fcron. A yes here will stop current fcron processes and will start the new fcron. The following commands will overwrite the fcron script with one based upon the BLFS template:

cat > /etc/rc.d/init.d/fcron << "EOF"
#!/bin/sh
# Begin $rc_base/init.d/fcron

# Based on sysklogd script from LFS-3.1 and earlier.
# Rewritten by Gerard Beekmans  - gerard@linuxfromscratch.org

source /etc/sysconfig/rc
source $rc_functions

case "$1" in
        start)
                echo "Starting fcron..."
                loadproc fcron
                ;;

        stop)
                echo "Stopping fcron..."
                killproc fcron
                ;;

        restart)
                $0 stop
                sleep 1
                $0 start
                ;;

        status)
                statusproc fcron
                ;;

        *)
                echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|status}"
                exit 1
                ;;
esac

# End $rc_base/init.d/fcron
EOF
chmod 755 /etc/rc.d/init.d/fcron &&
mv /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/K60fcron /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/K08fcron &&
mv /etc/rc.d/rc6.d/K60fcron /etc/rc.d/rc6.d/K08fcron

Config files

/etc/fcron.conf, /etc/fcron.allow, /etc/fcron.deny

There are no required changes in any of these files. Configuration information can be found in the man page for fcron.conf.

fcron scripts are written using fcrontab. Refer to the man page for fcrontab for proper parameters for your situation.

Contents

The fcron package contains fcron, fcrontab, fcronsighup and fcrondyn.

Description

fcron

fcron is the scheduling daemon.

fcrontab

fcrontab is the program used to install, edit, list and remove the tables used by fcron.

fcronsighup

fcronsighup instructs fcron to reread the fcron tables.

fcrondyn

fcrondyn is a user tool intended to interact with a running fcron daemon.