atrun -- System Administration

Execute commands at a preset time

atrun is a program that executes programs at a time set by the command at.

When user steve types

    at 1230 /v/steve/lunchtime

the  command at  creates  a shell  script in  directory /usr/spool/at  that
contains the information  needed to execute command /v/steve/lunchtime at a
later  time --  in  this instance,  12:30  PM.  The  spooled  file sits  in
/usr/spool/at until  /usr/lib/atrun sees that  the specified time  has been
reached.   atrun then  executes  the spooled  command and  removes it  from
/usr/spool/at.

atrun is not a daemon; that  is, it is invoked by another program, does its
work, and exits.   Thus, it is typically run periodically  from an entry in
the cron file owned by the superuser root.

See Also

Administering COHERENT,
at

Notes

Although atrun technically is a command, it is never invoked by a user.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness