problem with using cron utility

ahmedb72 · 01-27-2006, 11:09 PM

Hi all,
I have a problem in using cron utility.

Here's the steps I followed as root user:

# crontab -u root /etc/crontab
# crontab -e

then I edited the crontab as follows:

SHELL=/bin/bash
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
MAILTO=root
HOME=/

# run-parts
1-59 * * * * root run-parts /usr/bin/w >> /ws.log
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly

as shown this should write output of w command into /ws.log file.

I waited for a minute then I got email with the following output:

From root@localhost.localdomain Thu Jan 26 18:46:02 2006
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 18:46:01 +0400
From: root@localhost.localdomain (Cron Daemon)
To: root@localhost.localdomain
Subject: Cron <root@pc2> root run-parts /usr/bin/w >> /ws.log
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/bash>
X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin>
X-Cron-Env: <MAILTO=root>
X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/>
X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=root>
X-Cron-Env: <USER=root>

/bin/bash: root: command not found

Obviously the command didn't work.

I also re-edited the crontab as follows:

SHELL=/bin/bash
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
MAILTO=root
HOME=/

# run-parts
1-59 * * * * /usr/bin/w >> /ws.log

still I had the same problem.

Any help will be appreciated.

gilead · 01-28-2006, 04:39 PM

It looks like you've copied the main crontab file (/etc/crontab) into your crontab with crontab -u root /etc/crontab. Ignoring that for now though...

The run-parts command is for running all of the cron scripts in a directory and you don't need it to run a single command. You should be able to make it work by changing the line:

Code:

1-59 * * * * root run-parts /usr/bin/w >> /ws.log

to:

Code:

1-59 * * * * (/usr/bin/w >> /var/log/ws.log)

ahmedb72 · 01-30-2006, 02:27 AM

Hi gilead,

your idea resolved the issue. Thanks alot.

gilead · 01-30-2006, 12:44 PM

No problem - glad it worked