Write a wrapper Perl script that does the following:
1) Uses the 'date' function to generate a file name for your capture file.
2) Forks a second process.
a) Parent process simply waits for twenty-four hours, then reaps the
child.
b) Child process runs `tethereal -w $file` (or some variation).
So each time you run the Perl script, you get a 24-hour capture file. So
you get cron to call this script every day at 00:01 and you're done.
--J
-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Holden-Dye [mailto:jon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 10:19 AM
To: ethereal-users@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Ethereal-users] Cron job
Newbie (both Ethereal and Linux) alert ! (I.e. please be gentle...). If you
can suggest a more appropriate list, feel free.
I need to capture stuff automatically - generate a new capture file once per
day. I.e. Stop the previous day's capture and Start a new capture. I think I
know how to use crontab to create an entry, but haven't got a clue how to
write a suitable .job file for the crontab entry !
I'd like to create the files with the system date forming the first part of
the filename, e.g. 20010329_dbcsup.cap.
I'm not sure whether it's best to actually cron-schedule Ethereal itself to
do the captures, or just use tcpdump (for later analysis with Ethereal, of
course). (I need to capture *some* large packets - but think I know how to
tell tcpdump to do that on it's command line - as part of the cron .job
file.)
Any kind soul that can help ?
TIA, Jon H-D