Crontab no error but doesn't execute script

Question

I'm trying to execute a shell script from cron on Freebsd.

To test whether crontab is working at all, I wrote the line

  * * * * * echo "Hello" > /home/myuser/logile  

and it work fine.

But when trying to execute any script it doesn't do anything, not even an error. (In the script I tried to run is just the same echo command) Below is the output of crontab -l:

SHELL=/bin/sh  
PATH=/etc:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin  
HOME=/home/myuser  
MAILTO=myuser  
* * * * * /home/myuser/shellscript.sh > /home/myuser/logfile  

Why is the script not getting executed, although crontab is obviously running? Permission for all files are set to rwxr-xr-x.

Solution 1

Have you checked that the command line has a linefeed/CR at the end of the line? I struggled for hours trying to find a reason for non-executing php script on cron when I simply hadn't pressed enter at the end of the line when I edited the cron jobs with crontab -e :-)

Solution 2

Have you checked /var/log/cron for clues?

Solution 3

* * * * * /bin/sh /home/myuser/shellscript.sh

or

* * * * * /bin/bash /home/myuser/shellscript.sh

worked for me in Macosx 10.6 as rootuser

Solution 4

Have you tried

* * * * * /bin/sh /home/myuser/shellscript.sh > /home/myuser/logfile 

Solution 5

cron sends any errors via email to owner of the crontab file (often "root" so you might check that account's email). To have any errors mailed to "crontabOnFreebsd" put:

MAILTO=crontabOnFreebsd

in your crontab (near the top).

For more info issue this command:

man 5 crontab

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