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AT(1)                       NetBSD Reference Manual                      AT(1)


NAME

     at, batch, atq, atrm - queue, examine, or delete jobs for later execution


SYNOPSIS

     at [-q queue] [-f file] [-m] time
     atq [-q queue] [-v]
     atrm job [job ...]
     batch [-f file] [-m]


DESCRIPTION

     The at and batch utilities read commands from the standard input or a
     specified file which are to be executed at a later time, using sh(1).

     The functions of the commands are as follows:

     at      Executes commands at a specified time.

     atq     Lists the user's pending jobs, unless the user is the superuser.
             In that case, everybody's jobs are listed.

     atrm    Deletes jobs.

     batch   executes commands when system load levels  permit.  In other
             words, it executes the commands when the load average drops below
             a specified level.

     For both at and batch, the working directory, environment (except for the
     variables TERM, TERMCAP, DISPLAY, and _) and the umask are retained from
     the time of invocation.  The user will be mailed the standard output and
     standard error from his commands if any output is generated.  If at is
     executed from a su(1) shell, the owner of the login shell will receive
     the mail.


OPTIONS

     The available options are as follows:

     -q queue
             Use the specified queue.  A queue designation consists of a sin-
             gle letter; valid queue designation range from a to l. The a
             queue is the default, and b is the batch queue.  Queues with
             higher letters run with increased niceness.  If atq is given a
             specific queue, it will only show jobs pending in that queue.

     -m      Send mail to the user when the job has completed, even if there
             was no output.

     -f file
             Reads the job from file rather than the standard input.

     -v      Shows completed but not yet deleted jobs in the queue.


TIME SPECIFICATION

     at allows some moderately complex time specifications.  It accepts times
     of the form `HHMM' or `HH:MM' to run a job at a specific time of day.  If
     that time is already passed, the next day is assumed.  You may also spec-
     ify `midnight', `noon', or `teatime' (4PM) and you can give a time of day
     suffixed with `AM' or `PM' for running in the morning or the evening.
     You can also specify the date on which the job will be run by giving a
     date in the form `month-name day' with an optional `year', or giving a
     date of the form `MMDDYY', `MM/DD/YY' or `DD.MM.YY'. You can also give
     times like `now' + `count' time-units , where the time units can be
     `minutes', `hours', `days', or `weeks' You can suffix the time with
     `today' to run the job today, or `tomorrow' to run the job tomorrow.

     For example, to run a job at 4PM three days from now, you would specify a
     time of ``4PM + 3 days''. To run a job at 10:00AM on on July 31, you
     would specify a time of ``10AM Jul 31''. Finally, to run a job at 1AM to-
     morrow, you would specify a time of ``1AM tomorrow''.


FILES

     /var/at/jobs      Directory containing job files
     /var/at/spool     Directory containing output spool files
     /var/at/lockfile  Job-creation lock file.
     /var/run/utmp


SEE ALSO

     cron(8),  nice(1),  sh(1),  atrun(8)


AUTHOR

     Thomas Koenig, ig25@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de


BUGS

     Traditional access control to at and batch via the files /var/at/at.allow
     and /var/at/at.deny is not implemented.

     If the file /var/run/utmp is not available or corrupted, or if the user
     is not logged in at the time at is invoked, the mail is sent to the
     userid found in the environment variable LOGNAME. If that is undefined or
     empty, the current userid is assumed.

NetBSD 0.9A                    December 5, 1993                              2