why won't my crontab execute the commands?
 

I created a crontab file mycron, and reloaded it with

crontab mycron

If I include my username in the file as I thought I was supposed to do, it will not execute the command. Here is an example.

# m h dom mon dow user command
30 8 * * * dannemil /home/dannemil/command_files/infect-check.sh >> /home/dannemil/Desktop/infect-check/cron.log

cron runs as scheduled because it creates the log file as in the redirection above, but there is nothing in the log file, and the command to execute the sh file does not do what it is supposed to do.

BUT --- when I remove my username from the line like this

# m h dom mon dow user command
30 8 * * * /home/dannemil/command_files/infect-check.sh >> /home/dannemil/Desktop/infect-check/cron.log

then it executes just fine. I thought I was supposed to include my username on the line; at least that is what I read in the crontab man.

Could someone explain to me what I am doing wrong (although I know I should just shut up and let it go because it works without my username, so it is doing what I want it to do, but I sure would like to know why.)

Thanks.

What distro are you using, and who told you to include a username?
Does the man-page you read match the cron you have installed?


Cheers,
Tink



Cheers,
Tink

if you did this as an ordinary user with "crontab -e" this should be normal. all commands will be run with your user permissions. only root can run commands as a different user (I'm just ignoring sudo here).

--> just /etc/crontab (system's crontab) and files in /etc/cron.d accept the "user" field

I have centos 4.5 and don't use a user name on the command line; executes just fine with path / command

I am using Ubuntu 7.10. I think I just misinterpreted what I read about crontab because it is working fine without my username as a parameter in the table.

Thanks