trouble with setting up crontab

W_KIWAN · 2018-05-26 22:44:06

Hello ,
I am trying to add job in crontab but after alot of googling I think I am missing some configurations related to (environment variables), and I really got lost reading and applying with no luck at least to know what exactly I am missing, the script works just fine by executing from terminal but adding to crontab it does not work, I am not sure if I am doing things wrong or I am missing more configurations.
I am using ArchLinux with i3-gaps, no Desktop Manager, cronie is installed and cronie.service is enabled.

the script is:

#!/bin/sh
acpi -b | awk -F'[,:%]' '{print $2, $3}' | {
	read -r status capacity

	if [ "$status" = Discharging -a "$capacity" -lt 50 ]; then
		logger "Critical battery threshold"
		systemctl hibernate
	fi
}

("50" just for now in order to test the job)

and its placed in:

~/.bin >>> pwd 
/home/wael/.bin

zsh is the default shell

~ >>> echo $SHELL
/bin/zsh

I have added the script path to the default path by adding the following line to ~/.zshrc:

export PATH=/home/wael/.bin:$PATH

~ >>> echo $PATH
/home/wael/.bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/core_perl

and the crontab is:

~ >>> crontab -l
* * * * * /home/wael/.bin/lowbattery.sh

(every minute just for now in order to test the job)

its my first time dealing with cronie I am not sure if the infos are enough, so if more info should be provided let me know please.
Thanks

WorMzy · 2018-05-26 23:14:45

Your script is using /bin/sh to execute, not zsh. And since it is being executed from cron, the shell will be a non-interactive, non-login shell, which means that, even if you were using zsh, it wouldn't be initializing in the same way it does when you open a terminal, or log in to a tty. See 'man zsh' (or if you want to stick with sh, 'man bash' since on Arch, /bin/sh is provided by that).

Long story short, your PATH variable is likely unset. Set it manually in the script, or use full paths to executables.

W_KIWAN · 2018-05-26 23:26:37

WorMzy wrote:

Your script is using /bin/sh to execute, not zsh. And since it is being executed from cron, the shell will be a non-interactive, non-login shell, which means that, even if you were using zsh, it wouldn't be initializing in the same way it does when you open a terminal, or log in to a tty. See 'man zsh' (or if you want to stick with sh, 'man bash' since on Arch, /bin/sh is provided by that).
Long story short, your PATH variable is likely unset. Set it manually in the script, or use full paths to executables.

Thank you for the respond and the explanation, one question related to your answer
can I set both the shell and the path manually in the script?

WorMzy · 2018-05-27 10:32:02

Yes, of course. You can edit the script however you want.

Arch Linux

#1 2018-05-26 22:44:06

trouble with setting up crontab

#2 2018-05-26 23:14:45

Re: trouble with setting up crontab

#3 2018-05-26 23:26:37

Re: trouble with setting up crontab

#4 2018-05-27 10:32:02

Re: trouble with setting up crontab

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