hi there I have a small problem. I have a script which purpose is to send emails. First it have to check what day it is .. if it's friday then go ahead. The problem is how do i make it pick a certain email one week then, next week pick next email and so on. #!/bin/ksh 0=blablabla@blabla.dk 1=blabla@bla.dk 2=blabl@blaiii.dk i=0 a=`date | cut -c 1-3` if a=fri then "Send mail" | mail -s "remember to bring" $i i=`expr $i + 1` else echo "its not fri" [ $i -lt 3 ] fi

if [ `date +%w` -eq 5 ] ; then for user in \ blablabla@blabla.dk \ blabla@bla.dk \ blabl@blaiii.dk ; do echo "Send Mail" | mail -s "remember to bring" $user done

The simplified algorithm: 1. create a file called input.txt which has only one line to save the last person who was sent the email on last or this Friday, like: person_3@aol.com 05/08/12 2. In your script, there will be a mail list, like: MAIL_LIST="person_1@aol.com person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com" 3. In your script, you need to find the next person to send the email to according to the date. If the date field in input file equals to the current date, then the email still will be sent to the same person in the MAIL_LIST. If the date field in input file is less to the current date, then the email still will be sent to the next person in the MAIL_LIST. Luke Chi

well the problem is that i want to repeat the mailing procedure. "In your script, you need to find the next person to send the email to according to the date" I dont have dates .. only week days like friday. Sorry for my bad english. Hope you understand. at friday mail person1 next friday mail person2 next friday mail person3 next friday mail person1 (again) ~ loop

#!/bin/sh # # $FILE originally is empty, this script will create and maintain it # # $FILE contents: # # Example #1: (the 1st Friday) # person_1@aol.com 050819 # person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com person_1@aol.com # # Example #2: (the 2nd Friday) # person_2@aol.com 050826 # person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com person_1@aol.com person_2@aol.com # # Example #3: (the 3rd Friday) # person_3@aol.com 050902 # person_4@aol.com person_1@aol.com person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com # # Example #4: (the 4th Friday) # person_4@aol.com 050909 # person_1@aol.com person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com # # Example #5: (the 5th Friday) # person_1@aol.com 050916 # person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com person_1@aol.com FILE=input.txt if [ `date +%w` -ne 5 ] ; then exit fi CURR_DATE=`date '+%y%m%d'` if [ ! -s $FILE ]; then echo "person_1@aol.com $CURR_DATE" > $FILE echo "person_2@aol.com person_3@aol.com person_4@aol.com person_1@aol.com" >> $FILE fi INDEX=0 cat $FILE | while read LINE do INDEX=`expr $INDEX + 1` if [ $INDEX -eq 1 ]; then set $LINE LAST_WHO=$1 LAST_DATE=$2 else # if you run this program for over one time on Friday, the email # will be sent to the same person if [ $LAST_DATE = $CURR_DATE ]; then TARGET_WHO=$LAST_WHO # else # find the next person and update $FILE file else set $LINE TARGET_WHO=$1 shift echo "$TARGET_WHO $CURR_DATE" > $FILE echo "$@ $TARGET_WHO" >> $FILE fi fi done # Now you got the email address of the target person mailx $TARGET_WHO Luke Chi

thx alot Luke Chi it works like a charm! I will "re-enginier" it and figure out bout the differnt things/commands. Wonderfull with all u helpfull ppl!

thx alot thank god there are ppl around like u guys. It works like a charm!