Crontab fails because shell path not found
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I am looking at the failure output of my crontab.
* * * * * user /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
I get the error /bin/sh: 1: caleb: not found.
This corresponds to
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
which is part of the email the crontab sent me. I created the crontab using
crontab -e
All of it looks like a simple setup is there anything that I am missing?
16.04 cron
New contributor
add a comment |
I am looking at the failure output of my crontab.
* * * * * user /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
I get the error /bin/sh: 1: caleb: not found.
This corresponds to
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
which is part of the email the crontab sent me. I created the crontab using
crontab -e
All of it looks like a simple setup is there anything that I am missing?
16.04 cron
New contributor
3
When you runcrontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the/etc/crontab
file.
– Terrance
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago
add a comment |
I am looking at the failure output of my crontab.
* * * * * user /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
I get the error /bin/sh: 1: caleb: not found.
This corresponds to
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
which is part of the email the crontab sent me. I created the crontab using
crontab -e
All of it looks like a simple setup is there anything that I am missing?
16.04 cron
New contributor
I am looking at the failure output of my crontab.
* * * * * user /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
I get the error /bin/sh: 1: caleb: not found.
This corresponds to
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
which is part of the email the crontab sent me. I created the crontab using
crontab -e
All of it looks like a simple setup is there anything that I am missing?
16.04 cron
16.04 cron
New contributor
New contributor
edited 21 mins ago
Community♦
1
1
New contributor
asked 13 hours ago
caleb bakercaleb baker
132
132
New contributor
New contributor
3
When you runcrontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the/etc/crontab
file.
– Terrance
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago
add a comment |
3
When you runcrontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the/etc/crontab
file.
– Terrance
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago
3
3
When you run
crontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the /etc/crontab
file.– Terrance
13 hours ago
When you run
crontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the /etc/crontab
file.– Terrance
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
If you are using crontab -e
that set of Cron tasks runs as the user which crontab -e
was executed as - that is, your user user
.
Therefore, you should only provide the cron entry WITHOUT the user bits, i.e.:
* * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
The user
definition you were attempting to use should only be used in the system crontab
in /etc/crontab
and in entries in cron definitions under /etc/cron.d/
.
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So,* * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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oldest
votes
If you are using crontab -e
that set of Cron tasks runs as the user which crontab -e
was executed as - that is, your user user
.
Therefore, you should only provide the cron entry WITHOUT the user bits, i.e.:
* * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
The user
definition you were attempting to use should only be used in the system crontab
in /etc/crontab
and in entries in cron definitions under /etc/cron.d/
.
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So,* * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
add a comment |
If you are using crontab -e
that set of Cron tasks runs as the user which crontab -e
was executed as - that is, your user user
.
Therefore, you should only provide the cron entry WITHOUT the user bits, i.e.:
* * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
The user
definition you were attempting to use should only be used in the system crontab
in /etc/crontab
and in entries in cron definitions under /etc/cron.d/
.
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So,* * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
add a comment |
If you are using crontab -e
that set of Cron tasks runs as the user which crontab -e
was executed as - that is, your user user
.
Therefore, you should only provide the cron entry WITHOUT the user bits, i.e.:
* * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
The user
definition you were attempting to use should only be used in the system crontab
in /etc/crontab
and in entries in cron definitions under /etc/cron.d/
.
If you are using crontab -e
that set of Cron tasks runs as the user which crontab -e
was executed as - that is, your user user
.
Therefore, you should only provide the cron entry WITHOUT the user bits, i.e.:
* * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
The user
definition you were attempting to use should only be used in the system crontab
in /etc/crontab
and in entries in cron definitions under /etc/cron.d/
.
edited 13 hours ago
answered 13 hours ago
Thomas Ward♦Thomas Ward
45.1k23125178
45.1k23125178
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So,* * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
add a comment |
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So,* * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has
/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So, * * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.– Seamus
13 hours ago
Not to nitpick, but the "cron user" probably has
/usr/bin
in its $PATH. So, * * * * * python3 /home/user/src/code/prod.py
will probably work.– Seamus
13 hours ago
2
2
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
@Seamus when using crontabs it's generally better to use full paths just to rule out that problem.
– Thomas Ward♦
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
It's redundant... but I suppose that could be considered "generally better", for some. I'm only trying to point out that the "cron user" does have an environment, and it can be determined if it's not known.
– Seamus
13 hours ago
1
1
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
@Seamus I often have to explain to people why their jobs that run fine from a bash prompt don't work correctly under cron (or Autosys etc.). I tell them that it's best to use the full path to everything they can, and explicitly set PATH= what they want it to be, rather than rely on "probably".
– Monty Harder
9 hours ago
add a comment |
caleb baker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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3
When you run
crontab -e
it is already using your username so there is no need to add your username to the beginning of the command. The only place on the system that you add the username is in the/etc/crontab
file.– Terrance
13 hours ago
@Terrance that fixed my problem. i got my solution from cyberciti.biz/faq/… And I looked at the format and paid no attention to the "for system jobs"
– caleb baker
13 hours ago