[Fwd: Re: grep: -i option not working i cronjobs]

[Julian Foad]

(Forwarding to the list.)

- Julian


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: grep:  -i option not working i cronjobs
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 15:06:27 +0100
From: J. W.Andersen, Falster System Teknik <address@hidden>
To: Julian Foad <address@hidden>
References: <address@hidden> <address@hidden> 
<address@hidden> <address@hidden>


Julian Foad wrote:

> J. W.Andersen, Falster System Teknik wrote:
>
> > /bin/grep -o -i EXTRA.DAT /tmp/exdat > /tmp/exdatfn
>
>
> Sadly, the combination of "-o" and "-i" is broken in grep 2.5.1 in 
> this sort of way: whether it finds a match depends on the combination 
> of cases used in the pattern and in the text being searched.  Various 
> Linux distributions provide patched versions of grep that may work 
> better or differently, but basically that combination of modes is 
> still broken.
>
> > This script works as charm when I run it from the console, but fails 
> > when started from cron.
> > Again, if I have an absolute match between the PATTERN in the 
> > commandline and tthe file
> > content, it works, but the case-independancy fails in the cronjob.
>
>
> I don't have any explanation for why it works in the console but not 
> in the cron job, unless the cron job is picking up a different "grep" 
> program because its active PATH is different.
>
> - Julian


Hmmm - I don't think so. First, there is only one grep on the machine
(exept a link hereto in /usr/bin), and second,
you will notice, that I define the entire path to the grep program in
the script - the PATH variable should be of no
significance, as far as the grep executable is concerned. But as I said,
I cannot decide if there could be a missing¨
LIBPATH or something to some library file, I do not know about.

I have retrieved SuSE's source pack for the actual grep. As my C skille
are pretty rusty (have not used them much
for the past 10 years ), I am somewhat uncertain as to where to begin
and where to end. Could you maybe
give a hint as to which of the source modules are of primary interrest
for this issue ?

Again, thanks for your time - Joe.,