Runtime's exec() method is not redirecting the output

Question

Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("sh somescript.sh &> out.txt");

I am running this command using Java. The script is running but it's not redirecting its stream to the file. Moreover, the file out.txt is not getting created.

This script runs fine if I run it on shell.

Any ideas?

Solution 1

You need to use ProcessBuilder to redirect.

ProcessBuilder builder = new ProcessBuilder("sh", "somescript.sh");
builder.redirectOutput(new File("out.txt"));
builder.redirectError(new File("out.txt"));
Process p = builder.start(); // may throw IOException

Solution 2

When you run a command, there is no shell running and any shell commands or functions are not available. To use something like &> you need a shell. You have one but you are not passing it to it. try instead.

Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] { "sh", "somescript.sh &> out.txt" });