Running a Python Script using Cron?

Question

I have a python script that I'd like to add to cron.

The script has +x permission on it.

How shall I add it to crontab? (say, I want it to run every minute).

Important: when I navigate (using the shell) to the script's folder, I cannot run it using "./script_name.py"; it doesn't work. Yet, when I run it using "Python script_name.py", everything works.

Answer 1

From cron you should be running the script as script_name.py and your script meets the following criteria:

• Executable bit is set
• The script's hash-bang is set correctly eg. #!/usr/bin/env python
• it is accessible from the PATH
  • e.g. place it in /usr/local/bin/ or /opt/local/bin/ (and they are accessible to your system PATH.)

If these conditions are met, you should be able to run it from anywhere on your local system as script_name.py