ulimit error on at/batch commands

[funk at osiris.cso.uiuc.edu]

>/* Written 10:59 pm  Jul 18, 1989 by bander at cs.odu.edu in osiris.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.unix.questions */
>/* ---------- "ulimit error on at/batch commands" ---------- */
>I am unable to use either the batch command or the at command.  Using either
>one results in a mail message with something to the effect of:
>
>     -sh:   bad ulimit
>
>Can anyone shed any light on the problem?   I am running AT&T UNIX V/386 3.2
>on an AT&T 6386E WGS.  The system has only been up for a few weeks; as far as
>I know, we have always had this problem.   
>
We had the same problem on a unisys 5000/80 running SYSV.2.
We solved our problme by discovering that the ulimit was in effect during
the execution of the /etc/rc shell.  When cron was kicked off, it inherited
the default ulimit, so that every job that was kicked off (except root's)
failed when it attempted to raise the ulimit back to what it was when the
at command was executed.  (since root is the only one who can raise its ulimit)
When we added a line such as  ulimit 100000 before the startup of cron in 
/etc/rc,  this  had the effect of everyone LOWERING their ulimit, and everyone
worked OK


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|        Bruce Funk                         INTERNET: funk at osiris.cso.uiuc.edu |
|ACSEH, 21st TAACOM          __________________________________________________|
|Kaiserslautern, W. Germany  | Any resemblance between me and reality          |
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