10.0; send_alarm, revision=1.0, date=88/04/22
send_alarm - Send messages to alarm servers.
usage: send_alarm string ... {[-node node_spec ...]
[-diskless node_spec ...]
[-user login_name ...]
[-din node_spec ...]
[-me] [-mynode]
[-mydiskless]
[-mydin]
[-allnode]} [-l]
DESCRIPTION
send_alarm transmits one-line messages that the alarm server can display.
You can direct messages to the following targets:
⊕ A particular user, specified by the name used for login
⊕ The user on a particular node, specified by the node's entry directory
or node ID
⊕ The users on all the diskless nodes that have a particular paging
partner
⊕ Combinations of these categories of users
You must always specify at least one user to receive the message, but you
may use any of these techniques for choosing users.
Messages are not stored and message delivery is not guaranteed. If the
intended recipient is not running an alarm server when the message is
sent, or if other problems arise, the message is never delivered.
send_alarm notifies you when messages cannot be delivered.
You can send up to 80 characters using send_alarm. If your message is
longer, you should send it with the mail program.
ARGUMENTS
string ... (required)
Specify the message you want to send. Multiple strings
are permitted, separated by blanks. If several strings
are present, they are concatenated with intervening spaces
to form the message.
OPTIONS
-l List the target nodes or users as the messages are sent.
You must specify at least one of the following target
options.
-u[ser] login_name ...
Specify one or more users to whom the message should be
sent. If you use this option more than once, several
lists of users are concatenated. Every user on the
concatenated list receives the message.
If a user logged on several nodes at the same time, and
has alarm servers running at each of those log-in
sessions, only one of the alarm servers can receive the
messages.
The -user option is not likely to work unless the user's
home directory is an absolute pathname. For example, users
with "/" as their home directory may not be reachable. A
home directory like //smith/jones is more likely to work.
Expect erratic results if multiple users share a single
home directory.
-n[ode] node_spec ...
Transmit the message to whatever user is logged in on the
specified node, if any. Type help node_spec for details
about node specification syntax.
Multiple node specs are permitted; separate them with
blanks. If you use this option more than once, several
lists of nodes are concatenated. Every user on a node on
the concatenated list receives the message.
If several users are logged in on one node simultaneously
and are running alarm servers, only one user can receive
messages directed to that node.
-di[skless] node_spec ...
Transmit the message to whatever user is logged in on any
diskless node whose host node is specified by node_spec as
in the -node option. Multiple node_specs are permitted.
If you use this option more than once, several lists of
nodes are concatenated. Note that this option does not
send a message to the user on the paging partner. See
-din below.
-din node_spec ...
This option allows you to send a message to a disked node
and all of its diskless partners. This is the same as
specifying -node node_spec ... -diskless node_spec ... ".
-me or -myu[ser]
Adds you to the list of users to receive the messages.
-myn[ode] Adds the node at which the command is entered to the list
of target nodes.
-mydi[skless] Same as -diskless node_spec, where node_spec is the node
at which the send_alarm command was entered.
-mydin Same as -mynode -mydiskless.
-alln[ode] Send the message to every node seen by an lcnode.
EXAMPLES
$ send_alarm 'Meeting is cancelled' -user joe_k sue_b john_f mary_g
$ send_alarm Please log out. Node AAD going down. -din 0aad
$ send_alarm Compilation completed -me
$ send_alarm Power going off at 17:30 tonight -allnode -l
$ send_alarm 'Loop 13 is being switched out' *loop13
Note: In the above example, loop13 is a file in the working directory
containing further input for the send_alarm command line. It
might, for example, contain the text:
-n //sintra //dave
-n //top 317F
-u network_manager
-mydin
SEE ALSO
More information is available. Type
alarm_server For details about setting up the alarm server to receive
messages and to send longer messages, with ensured
delivery