"Syntax error near unexpected token `crontab'" when trying to add cron job in one line as sudo

Question

I am getting a "-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `crontab'" when I am attempting to write a cron job to crontab in one line. (This is for a launch configuration on EC2.) I am following this guide here.

This is my command:

sudo { crontab -l -u ec2-user; echo "* * * * * touch /home/ec2-user/dummy/dummy$ENV"; } | crontab -u ec2-user -

If I run without sudo, it tells me I "must be privileged to use -u." When I run with sudo I get "bash: syntax error near unexpected token `}'"

I am sure I have my syntax wrong with the sudo, but I am not sure where.

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered May 24 '19 at 20:28

sudo can only run external commands, not shell syntax like brace groups (or loops/functions/if-statements/etc). Use it on the individual commands you need special privileges for:

{ sudo crontab -l -u ec2-user; echo "* * * * * touch /home/ec2-user/dummy/dummy$ENV"; } | sudo crontab -u ec2-user -

Dennis Williamson · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-28T20:02:14.687

0

Another way to accomplish what you want:

sudo bash -c "{ crontab -l -u ec2-user; echo '* * * * * touch /home/ec2-user/dummy/dummy$ENV'; } | crontab -u ec2-user -"

This way, you only have to specify sudo once.

edited May 28 '19 at 20:02

answered May 24 '19 at 20:42

Dennis Williamson

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So this works, but its not grabbing the value for $ENV. Any idea why? – Brandon May 28 '19 at 13:53
@Brandon: Try swapping the single and double quotes and let me know if that works. – Dennis Williamson May 28 '19 at 15:28
That did it. Thanks! – Brandon May 28 '19 at 19:52
@Brandon: I updated my answer to reflect your results. Thanks for letting me know. – Dennis Williamson May 28 '19 at 20:02

"Syntax error near unexpected token `crontab'" when trying to add cron job in one line as sudo

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