Score:1

Ubuntu

Why doesn't my crontab -e execute the .sh script?

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 8:36 AM

In sudo crontab -e I have this:

*/2 * * * * date >> /home/rki/test.log
*/5 * * * * sudo sh /home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh

*/2 * * * * date >> /home/rki/test.log works without a problem, writing every 2 minutes into the test.log file.

It just won't execute the backup.sh script which has this:

#!/bin/bash
# Remove previous backups
#sudo rm dokuwiki-backup*.tar.gz

# Set backup name
name=dokuwiki-backup_$(date '+%Y-%m-%d-%H%M%S')

# Backup stuff
/bin/tar -zcvf "$name.tar.gz" /var/lib/docker/volumes/dokuwiki_data

I can do sudo sh dokuwiki_backup.sh fine without a problem. The bash script is chmoded 0777 and chown rki:rki.

What's that I'm doing wrong?

114

0 + 0

bash

scripts

cron

sudodus

1/27/23, 9:33 AM

Tasks that need elevated permissions should be uploaded to cron with `sudo crontab -e` and should not contain sudo, so try with `*/5 * * * * /bin/sh /home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh`

Rinzwind

1/27/23, 9:36 AM

1. Don't put sudo in crontab 2. use absolute paths.

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 9:59 AM

Is `/home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh ` not an absolute path?

Rinzwind

1/27/23, 9:59 AM

and never do `chmod 0777`. never use the 3rd 7. 0700 or 0750 for scripts is the best security when you know the user that executes it. @Grumpyol'Bear it is but `sh` does not have one. It is best to always use paths even it the path is inside the default for cron We do not know what your systems path is inside cron ;)

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 10:12 AM

I just tested `*/5 * * * * /bin/sh /home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh` no dice. `*/2 * * * * date >> /home/rki/test.log` still works, still no backup.

sudodus

1/27/23, 10:12 AM

@Grumpyol'Bear, 1. It may even be necessary to put absolute paths inside the shellscript. The reason is that the environment used by `cron` can very bare-bone (you cannot expect it to be the same as what you get as a logged in user); 2. Did you use `sudo crontab -e` ?

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 10:18 AM

Yes, always `sudo crontab -e`, I want it as root not rki. Otherwise I'd go `crontab -e` for rki cronjobs.

sudodus

1/27/23, 11:01 AM

1. I suggest that you put full path onto the call of `date` too; 2. It is not compatible to call the script with `/bin/sh` and at the same time have the shebang `#!/bin/bash` in its first line. Either call with the shell program or use the shebang. In the latter case the script must also be executable.

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 11:35 AM

Fuck all that, I'm just gonna do it manually. Fucking shit not working...

pLumo

1/27/23, 12:13 PM

Maybe it works just fine, but your `$name.tar.gz` is relative and you don't know where it is ?

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 12:26 PM

Ah shite... @pLumo, that was it indeed. Everything in ./root/ . Fucks sake...

sudodus

1/27/23, 12:44 PM

Good catch @pLumo :-)

Score:1

Ubuntu

pLumo

1/27/23, 1:06 PM

If you add your cronjob via sudo crontab -e, it will run as root.

No need for sudo, use:

*/5 * * * * /bin/sh /home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh

The default working directory should be roots $HOME, so usually /root. You can find $name.tar.gz there. But better to use absolute paths, e.g.:
```
/bin/tar -zcvf "/home/rki/Backups/$name.tar.gz" /var/lib/docker/volumes/dokuwiki_data
```

0 + 0

Score:-1

Ubuntu

Thomas Aichinger

1/27/23, 10:10 AM

To run cronjobs with full root environment use this command

*/5 * * * * su - root -c '/home/rki/docker-compose-stuff/dokuwiki/backups/dokuwiki_backup.sh'

0 + 0

Grumpy ol' Bear

1/27/23, 10:28 AM

No dice. Doesn't work.

Thomas Aichinger

1/28/23, 2:57 PM