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Writing Executable Script Files To Automate Tasks On The UNIX

This document discusses how to automate tasks on UNIX systems by creating executable script files. Script files allow you to store a series of commands in an ASCII text file and then execute all the commands with a single command. The document provides instructions for creating a basic script file called "scrptest" as an example. It demonstrates how to make the file executable, run the commands in it, and optionally run it in the background so other tasks can be done simultaneously. The document also provides an example of a more complex script that could be used to sequentially run a series of SAS jobs and free the user to log off while the jobs complete.

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Lokesh Reddy
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46 views

Writing Executable Script Files To Automate Tasks On The UNIX

This document discusses how to automate tasks on UNIX systems by creating executable script files. Script files allow you to store a series of commands in an ASCII text file and then execute all the commands with a single command. The document provides instructions for creating a basic script file called "scrptest" as an example. It demonstrates how to make the file executable, run the commands in it, and optionally run it in the background so other tasks can be done simultaneously. The document also provides an example of a more complex script that could be used to sequentially run a series of SAS jobs and free the user to log off while the jobs complete.

Uploaded by

Lokesh Reddy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing Executable Script Files to Automate Tasks on the UNIX1

It is possible to create a file to execute a series of commands on UNIX-based machines. To automate chores, you
can create ASCII files that contain a series of commands, and then make that file executable. These files are called
script files. These files do not require any specific file extension. When choosing a name for your script file, make sure
that it does not conflict with an already existing command name, program, or alias on your UNIX.
Use caution when creating new script files. It is wise to avoid including potentially dangerous commands such as cp,
mv, or rm in them. Also, please note that any aliases that are in your .cshrc file cannot be executed from a script file. For
example, you could not use the command dir, but you could use the command ls -l.
A script file can be placed in the directory that it will be used in, or it can be placed in any directory that is in your
path. (The path structure is set in your .cshrc file, which sets the environment for your UNIX session.) If it is in your
path rather than in the directory you will run it from, then before it will run, you must either logout and login again, or
type source ~/.cshrc.
Following is an example of using script called scrptest that has a series of commands in it. You can create the file
with any text editor on the UNIX.
Step 1:

Create a file called scrptest using any text editor on the UNIX.

#!/bin/csh
cd /var/tmp
echo Hi. The computer can be your friend.
Step 2: Make the file executable with the command:
Step 3:

I am here to serve you!

chmod u+x scrptest

If Change to the directory where the file is stored, and then execute the program. The & allows you to
do other work, or logoff, while the commands in scrptest continue.

scrptest

&

Of course, it is unlikely that you would need a script file for the commands listed in this sample. But, there are times
when script files can be very useful. For example, you may have a series of SAS jobs that take a long time to run, and
they must be run in certain order. You can create a script file to run the all (sequentially if & does not follow the
commands in the script file), and then log off. You might create a script file called runsfiles.
#!/bin/csh
# runsfiles. (Lines that begin with # are comments) December 31, 1999
# next line changes to directory with sas programs.
cd /full/path
sas file1
sas file2
sas file3
Make the program executable by typing chmod u+x runsfiles. When you are ready to run it, be sure you
are in the directory where the file runsfiles is (or that it is in your path and you have typed source ~/.cshrc,
and type:
runsfiles

&

You may logoff, or do other work. UNIX and SAS will do your work for you.

Prepared by Patty Glynn and Ruby Wang, January 24, 2000, Center for Social and Demographic Analysis..

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