HI I have a number of scripts (run in ksh)that run and execute some import procedures for an Oracle database. To update the users I have created a status screen that updates as the scripts progress. To do this I am using a global function which I specify the location of using the .profile and .kshrc. All users are using the korn shell and this works OK during interactive execution. I run the scripts overnuight using CRON but obviously CRON has a minimal environment set and I get errors. Anyone know how to get CRON to run the /$HOME/.profile and therefore provide the location of my global function? I have tried putting /$HOME/.profile at the begining of my scripts, but this does not seem top work. Thanks for any help!

I don't think you mean /$HOME/scriptname - root's $HOME is often "/" (so /$HOME would be "//"). If root's shell is ksh or bash (or in Solaris, /usr/xpg4/bin/sh) you could use ~someuser/scriptname. Otherwise you have to hardcode the path. When calling scripts from cron, explicitly source any environment scripts, e.g: . /fully/qualified/path/oracle_envs param1 param2 ${somevar}/do_stuff

Thanks William, but I am running the script as a user other than root. I understand that CRON runs a subshell within the user's /$HOME/ but will not pick up anything but the basic environment. In effect I want the .profile to have run so that the ksh script finds the function. Thanks Phil.

Try . ~/.profile or . $HOME/.profile (but not /$HOME/.profile)

Thanks William! The . $HOME/.profile did the trick, but I had to add the shell to it to make it work: SHELL=/usr/bin/ksh; export SHELL; . $HOME/.profile; My global ksh function now works!!