Score:3

Ubuntu

Run cronjobs in different timezones

needHelpToCode

12/15/23, 2:42 PM

I have some cronjobs that I want to run. I want two of my scripts to run in UTC and the rest in CET. I have tried with cron_tz but it does not seem to work.

197

2 + 1

server

cron

timezone

user535733

12/15/23, 4:01 PM

Seems like a duplicate of https://serverfault.com/questions/374284

Score:3

Ubuntu

Rinzwind

12/15/23, 2:57 PM

CRON_TZ=Europe/Amsterdam

works. Mind though that it could be that specific Ubuntu's do not work with CRON_TZ. man 5 crontab tells you if it is supported. If it does not have this, then yours does not support it:

The CRON_TZ variable specifies the time zone specific for the cron table. The user should enter a time according to the specified time zone into the table. The time used for writing into a log file is taken from the local time zone, where the daemon is running.

It probably does not and you should be using systemd.timer and systemd.time and calendar events. Each unit holds its own timezomne so that will fix your problem.

+ 4

needHelpToCode

12/15/23, 3:01 PM

I used CRON_TZ with capitals but thanks for the manual direction.

Rinzwind

12/15/23, 3:01 PM

@needHelpToCode Ill remove it :D

needHelpToCode

12/15/23, 3:01 PM

right now I have a script like * * * * * CRON_TZ=UTC etc.., is this the way that it works?

Rinzwind

12/15/23, 3:17 PM

no. CRON_TZ goes in a seperate line at the beginning of cron file (similar to PATH) if you want the SCRIPTS to run with a diff. timezone use @vidarlo answer. You can use TZ=UTC before the script to have the script use another timezone. Feel free to remove the upvote and upvote vidarlo ;)

Score:2

Ubuntu

vidarlo

12/15/23, 2:54 PM

Preface the command with TZ=CET, or set the TZ environment variable

[~]$ TZ=UTC date
Thu Dec 15 14:53:51 UTC 2022
[~]$ TZ=CET date
Thu Dec 15 15:53:54 CET 2022

+ 5

Rinzwind

12/15/23, 3:01 PM

are you sure? afaik TZ only affects the scripts executed (so the TZ inside the scripts is set) and not when cron starts it.

vidarlo

12/15/23, 3:03 PM

I think the confusion is what he wants. I read the question as he wanting to run *the commands* in different timezones, not the *cron* itself.

Rinzwind

12/15/23, 3:16 PM

hmmm :) that is one way of reading it yes _O- I focused too much on CRON_TZ

vidarlo

12/15/23, 3:20 PM

Probably means the question is somewhat unclear ;)

Raffa

12/15/23, 4:01 PM

+1 ... Possible to read it that way

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Run cronjobs in different timezones

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