Shell script doesn't work as cron job

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June 29th, 2006, 12:44 PM

namotco

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Shell script doesn't work as cron job

This code works correctly when executed from the command line, but when I have this entry in my crontab file the output is an empty bz2 file.

cron tab:

Code:

@daily /usr/home/wha/scripts/rperry_wha_bkup.sh

shell script:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Script name : auto_mysql_dump.sh
# Backup the dbname database
dir=`date +%Y-%m-%d`
dbname='rperry_wha'
if [ -d /home/wha/backup ]; then
mkdir /home/wha/backup/$dir
mysqldump -B --user=rperryFile --password=somepassword --host=127.0.0.1 $dbname | bzip2 -c > /home/wha/backup/$dir/$dbname.sql.bz2
fi
# End of script auto_mysql_dump.sh

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June 29th, 2006, 03:18 PM

M.Hirsch

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Use absolute path names.

Cron has got a different environment setup than your shell. The problem is most likely the PATH variable.

M.

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June 29th, 2006, 03:29 PM

tj_nt

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this may not apply...so FWIW...

If you used a 'Windows' (or other non-nix) system to compose the shell script and then uploaded it to the server there is a possibility that there are hidden characters that get ignored when the script is run from bash but cron see it as a corrupted file...

June 29th, 2006, 03:36 PM

namotco

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Hmm, I tried to be careful with the path names, but maybe mysqldump is the issue. I'll use a full path on it and see what happens.

Thanks.

June 29th, 2006, 04:13 PM

M.Hirsch

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Yes, that's what I meant.
The "PATH" variable is the search path for binaries.
It does not include /usr/local/bin by default. You can change this, but I prefer to use absolute paths still.

M.

Shell script doesn't work as cron job

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