---
name: "sge_qtask"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "gridengine-common"
version: "8.1.9+dfsg-13.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sge_qtask"
---

# sge\_qtask(5)

file format of the qtask file.

## NAME

qtask - file format of the qtask file.

## DESCRIPTION

A *qtask* file defines which commands are submitted to Grid Engine for remote execution by [*qtcsh*(1)](/qtcsh/1.md). The *qtask* file optionally may contain [*qrsh*(1)](/qrsh/1.md) command-line parameters. These parameters are passed to the [*qrsh*(1)](/qrsh/1.md) command being used by *qtcsh* to submit the commands.

Both a cluster global *qtask* file defining cluster wide defaults, and a user specific *qtask* file eventually overriding and enhancing those definitions, are supported. The cluster global file resides at \<sge\_root\>/\<cell/common/qtask, while the user specific file can be found at ~/.qtask. An exclamation mark preceding command definitions in the cluster global file can be used by the administrator to deny overriding of such commands by users.

## FORMAT

The overall format of the *qtask* file is that of a tabulated list. Each line starting with a '#' character is a comment line. Each non-comment line defines a command to be started remotely.

Definition starts with the command name that must match exactly the name as typed in a [*qtcsh*(1)](/qtcsh/1.md) command-line. Pathnames are not allowed in *qtask* files. Hence absolute or relative pathnames in [*qtcsh*(1)](/qtcsh/1.md) command-lines always lead to local execution, even if the command itself is the same as defined in the *qtask* file.

The command name can be followed by an arbitrary number of [*qrsh*(1)](/qrsh/1.md) option arguments which are passed on to [*qrsh*(1)](/qrsh/1.md) by [*qtcsh*(1)](/qtcsh/1.md).

An exclamation mark prefixing the command in the cluster global *qtask* file prevents overriding by the user supplied *qtask* file.

## EXAMPLES

The following *qtask* file

```
firefox -l a=sol-sparc64 -v DISPLAY=myhost:0
grep -l h=filesurfer
verilog -l veri_lic=1
```

designates the applications firefox, grep and verilog for interactive remote execution through Grid Engine. Firefox is requested to run only on Solaris64 architectures with the DISPLAY environment variable set to 'myhost:0', grep only runs on the host named 'filesurfer', and verilog requests availability of a verilog license in order to get executed remotely.

## SEE ALSO

[*sge\_intro*(1)](/sge_intro/1.md), [*qtcsh*(1)](/qtcsh/1.md), [*qrsh*(1)](/qrsh/1.md).

## COPYRIGHT

See [*sge\_intro*(1)](/sge_intro/1.md) for a full statement of rights and permissions.