Hi

I have a perl script that includes a line to execute a system command that sends an email using sendmail... The line is

!system "sudo /usr/sbin/sendmail -t -f \"<vmlnx16.xxx.xxx\@xxx.co.uk>\" < /tmp/message.txt > /dev/null 2>&1 &" or die $!;

where the xxx represents the email address.

If I run the script manually then the email is sent. However, if I try to run the script through the following crontab line then the mail is not sent. The crontab line is..

30 2 * * * root /opt/bin/check-configs.pl > /dev/null/ 2>&1 &

I know that the script gets executed because the creation of other files such as the /tmp/message.txt used above happens. Also, I know that the script is not dieing at that point as commands after it in the script are executed.

Any ideas anyone??

Why do you need 'sudo' ? Try to get rid of it first.

I'll give it a try without although I don't see that it will make a difference as the script executes fine from a command line, just not from crontab.

Probably the usual cron issue that the $PATH variable is different under cron than it is in a user shell. Either set up $PATH, or spell out the exact filespec of all executables (sudo, for one).
--- rod.

The OP invoked the command in question with full path: /usr/sbin/sendmail .

Yes, but he didn't didn't spell out the location of sudo (/usr/bin/sudo, on the host from which I write this).
--- rod

And that's one of the reasons I suggested to get rid of it. Another reason is that 'sudo' might refuse to run when it doesn't have a terminal.

I.e. 'sudo' looks like a dark horse here, and it's unneeded functionally.