cron job runs under wrong shell 1

[cp2000]

I am running Solaris 8 trying to run a compiles executable. I am the sysadmin. One of our developers created the program.

The problem I have is.....I need to run the program as a cron job. AND it needs to run under the tcsh shell. This IS the default shell for the user running the cron job (not root).
I have tried wrapping ina script something like:
#!/bin/tcsh
/path/program

That runs fine interactively AND under the "at" command. HOWEVER....as soon as I try to run it as a user cron job it fails. I added "setenv" to the script and found that interactively and under "at" it is correctly using the tcsh shell. however when run as a cron job it is using /bin/sh.

Have I missed something? My understanding is that the first line of the script defines the shell.

Eda - cate Me

Thanks

 

[bi]

Have you tried envoking the tcsh shell in the script before you run the program (not just have it listed at the top of the script)?

 

[cp2000]

my understanding is the first line of the script done in that syntax IS invoking the shell. At least that's how I've always done it before.

 

[bi]

Yes, that is usually the way it works. But it isn't working like that for you, right?

When you edit cron, you usually get a message telling you that all scripts run from cron are run in the sh shell. Just a suggestion to add invoking the shell in the script you are running from cron.

 

[cp2000]

Ok, Let me try again. somehow we am not communicating.

When I started having problems, I created a shell script. The first line of that shell script is
#!/bin/tcsh
My understanding and experience has been that invokes the tcsh shell. Running the script from the cron job though does not seem to invoke the shell.

 

[bi]

Yes, we are not communicating. Here's an expanded version:

I said that when you edit crontab (crontab -e) and save the file, you get a message saying that all scripts run from cron are run under the Bourne shell. For some reason, Solaris' cron ignores the shebang line in a script -- its "rule" of running scripts in cron using the Bourne shell overrides that line, it seems.

I suggested that, as part of the script you are running from cron, that you add invoking the tsch shell.

I suggest your script look like this:

#!/bin/sh
/bin/tcsh /path/program

My second message agreed with you that yes, the shebang at the top of the script is what usually invokes the shell to be used in the script. I also said that apparently this isn't working for you and made a suggestion that would work around this assumed behavior of scripts.

You might want to take a look at the suggestions in thread60-295507. The first suggestion made there you already know doesn't work. The second suggestion (invoking the tcsh shell before you kick off the program), is what I am suggesting you try.

 

[bobmca]

I have been having the same problem with tcsh.
I think I might have worked out a solution, tho I've not tested it fully yet.
I've been testing with my root crontab as -
00 8 * * * (exec tcsh </usr/script.sh &)

My script.sh test file simply does a sleep 120, and I see the parent PID becomes 1 (Unix kernel), and the sleep running as a child of tcsh.

For good measure I also have #! /bin/tcsh at the start of the script.

Hope this helps
Bob

 

[bobmca]

Sorry..
crontab should read -
00 8 * * * (exec /bin/tcsh </usr/script.sh &)

Bob

 

[bi]

why not just invoke the shell in the script rather than in cron????