Shell script calls Python from terminal but fails from Cron

Question

I have a shell script, thus:

export PYTHONPATH=/usr/local/lib/python
cd /home/skip/workspace/UAM
for file in *.txt
do
    echo $file >>log.fil
    /usr/bin/python push.py -s $file
done
return 0

It runs properly from command line. prints each filename to the log file and runs the python push.py command as expected. (It creates a directory and populates it.)

But when I try to run it from cron with this crontab:

3 * * * * /home/skip/workspace/UAM/RunAllTest.sh

I am seeing entries in the log file, but push.py is not run properly. (the directory is not created or populated.)

Any assistance would be welcome.

licorna · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-24 15:26:15Z

3

Check that push.py doesn't need any environment variables that may not be set in crontab context. If it is a user crontab (not a root cron) then it will be executed as if the same user executed that line, but not necessarily into the same environment (like aliases and Path set on initialization files).

answered Mar 24, 2011 at 15:26

licorna

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1 Comment

Skip Huffman Over a year ago

Fantastic. That is very helpful. I don't think it is my actual problem, but it inspired me to dig a bit deeper. I will report more later. (Basically if I strip most of what "push.py" is supposed to be doing out, then the cron process works. It's USELESS, but it works.)

Bart · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-28 22:27:32Z

1

Got it. Thanks to the kind assistance of licorna.

What was happening is my "push.py" script was calling another program (pybot aka robot framework) without specifying a fully qualified path.

I changed that from "pybot" to /usr/local/bin/pybot" and all is working.

edited Nov 28, 2012 at 22:27

Bart

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answered Mar 24, 2011 at 15:54

Skip Huffman

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1 Comment

chmullig Over a year ago

You might see if you're using sh or bash for your script (you don't include the first line). Bash may include the proper path for you. I would accept @licorna's answer, since it includes "Path set on initialization files"

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