crontab vs. links in /etc/cron.hourly (etc.)

[nmeyers at javalinux.net (Nathan Meyers)]

On Tue, Jun 04, 2002 at 06:11:02PM -0400, Scott Prive wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Could someone tell me why, if I create a crontab entry for my script (or run it manually), it will work OK... but it will not run properly if called via a symlink in /etc/cron.hourly.
> 
> I chose not to post my script so as to not cloud the issue -- I have a solution. 
> 
> To rephrase, I'm asking why something running as root would behave differently than if called via a symlink in /etc/cron.whatever.

Different environment variables? Running as a different user? And what
does "work OK" mean - that it runs at all, that it has some expected
effects? What makes you think that posting the script would cloud the
issue? I think it might help explain the issue.

And could you explain your last sentence - I don't understand the
contrast between "running as root" and "called via a symlink"? Is the
script being run by root always, sometimes, or never?

Nathan Meyers
nmeyers at javalinux.net