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City LinUX sample scripts - chklnks

NAME

chklnks - locates and optionally removes broken symbolic links.

SYNOPSIS

chklnks [[[ -a ]| [ <directory> ... ]] [ -d ] [ -h <hostid|> ] [ -r ] [ -v ]]| [ -V ]

AVAILABILITY

chklnks is a Bourne shell script which should work equally well on all versions of UNIX and Linux.

DESCRIPTION

The script chklnks, runs " find " to locate files which are symbolic links where the target file is missing

By default the path and file name of any broken link found are echoed to to " standard out ".

The script is mostly usefully invoked by " cron " to a regular weekly schedule.

OPTIONS

-a Check all the local read write filesystems on the target host

-d Set the script to debug mode.

-h <hostname>
Run the script on a remote host.

-r Broken symbolic links are removed.

-v Set the operation mode of the script to verbose. In verbose mode chklnks will report any broken symbolic links and their removal to standard out .

<directory> If given on the command line <directory> is the starting point for the find. Multiple space separated directories may be listed on the command line.

If no <directory> is nominated on the command line the current directory is is used as the starting point.

EXAMPLES

chklnks

From the current directory search recursively for broken symbolic links and report any found to /fIstandard out/fR.

chklnks -v -r /src/merlin/usr/local/web

Starting from /src/merlin/usr/local/web do a recursive search for broken symbolic links and remove them. Report each file deleted to standard out.

FILES

/usr/local/etc/chklnks.cf.

BUGS

The script has no input error checking. I'm a bit worried about what happens if filenames with white space in them are found. These names will be passed to rm as multiple file names which could potentially match real files!

AUTHOR

Clifford W Fulford of City Linux.
Offering systems management and support for Linux, Windows and Apple environments. Contact fulford@fulford.net or +44 (0)709 229 5385.

Trainer

Picture of Clifford W Fulford - IT consultant
Clifford W Fulford BA(Hons), PGDip (Computing), PGCE. DES/DFE No. 7773034.

I started my career in computing in the days of CPM and C/CPM, building network operating systems and correcting bespoke software written to manage community transport booking and accounting systems.

I fist came across UNIX when called upon to migrate database systems from Mercator BBS to Thoroughbred Basic. Excited by the power and flexibility of UNIX in 1989/90 I studied the OS at City University night classes while developing my practical skills in a SCO Xenix environment during the working day.

In 1994 I was introduced to Linux by students in the School of Mathematics and Computing at North London University. Although initially sceptical of the ability of the fledgling OS to meet the requirements of large scale mission critical systems, I rapidly became a convert to Linux in a corporate environment.

I have now worked professionally as a systems manager and systems administrator with Xenix, AIX, HPUX, SunOS, Solaris and Linux in the City, Antwerp, McLean Virginia, Cairo, Birmingham and Nottingham for over 25 years

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