Displaying crontab Files

The crontab -l command displays the contents of your crontab file much the way the cat command displays the contents of other types of files. You do not have to change directories to /usr/spool/cron/crontabs (where crontab files are located) to use this command.

By default, the crontab -l command displays your own crontab file. To display crontab files belonging to other users, you must be superuser.

How to Display a crontab File

1. (Optional) To display a crontab file belonging to root or another user, become superuser.

2. Display the crontab file.

   $ crontab -l [username]

   username

   Name of another user's account, and requires superuser privileges to create or edit.

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   Caution -

   If you accidentally enter the crontab command with no option, press the interrupt character for your editor. This allows you to quit without saving changes. Exiting the file and saving changes at this point would overwrite an existing crontab file with an empty file.

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Example--Displaying a crontab File

The following example shows how to use crontab -l to display the contents of the default user's crontab file, the default root crontab file, and the crontab file belonging to another user.

$ crontab -l
13 13 * * * chmod g+w /usr/documents/*.book > /dev/null 2>&1
$ su
Password:
# crontab -l
#ident "@(#)root    1.12    94/03/24 SMI"    /* SVr4.0 1.1.3.1
   */
#
# The root crontab should be used to perform accounting data
# collection.
#
# The rtc command is run to adjust the real time clock if and when
# daylight savings time changes.
#
0 2 * * 0,4 /etc/cron.d/logchecker
5 4 * * 6   /usr/lib/newsyslog
15 3 * * * /usr/lib/fs/nfs/nfsfind
1 2 * * * [ -x /usr/sbin/rtc ] && /usr/sbin/rtc -c > /dev/null 2>&1
20 * * * * [ -x /usr/lib/inet/ntpdate ] && /usr/lib/inet/ntpdate
-m 224.0.1.1 >/dev/null 2>&1
# crontab -l jones
13 13 * * * cp /home/jones/work_files /usr/backup/. > /dev/null
2>&1