On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:27:46 -0500

Chris Bennett  wrote:
> I had an odd problem with cron.

quoted text
>

> I made three perl scripts: LWP4.pl, LWP5.pl and LWP6.pl

>

> During testing, I put the following entry in cron:

>

> 33   *   *   *   *   *   LWP4.pl; LWP5.pl; LWP6.pl;

>

>

> When it ran, I got 6 versions of each of these scripts running

> concurrently and in order also.

> They didn't start at exact same time, but as if LWP4.pl, then another

> and another, etc.

>

> When first version of LWP4.pl finished, then first version of LWP5.pl

> etc.

>

> These scripts get a web page, extract values from matches, update

> database, sleep, repeat for new pages until done with list of search

> values.

>

>

> Chris Bennettf

Hi,
The command in cron is executed by the defined $SHELL.

The semicolon means run each part after one another, without caring for

the exitstatus of the previous.

With ksh you'd want to connect the parts with a single ampersand so

they are "executed in the background".

Just have a look at the manpage for whatever shell you use in that

crontab.
- Robert