Python script not running when added to crontab

Question

I have an on_reboot.sh file that contains the following:

#!/bin/bash

source /home/pi/.profile
workon cv
cd /home/pi/reboot
python pi_test.py

After that I made the file executable using

$ chmod +x on_reboot.sh

and then in my crontab I put the following to run it on boot:

@reboot /home/pi/reboot/on_reboot.sh

However, it is not working when the Pi boots up. When I run the sh file on the command line it is working fine. I tried modifying the crontab like this:

@reboot sudo su – pi bash -c ‘/home/pi/reboot/on_reboot.sh’

to run the startup script as user pi but is not working either. How can I fix this?

Answer 1

You should start your script as service with a systemd unit. It seems the script only runs one time and does not stay in the background. I don't know other edge conditions of your script but with this what I see I would define a unit file with:

rpi ~$ sudo systemctl edit --force on_reboot.service

In the empty editor insert these statements, save them and quit the editor:

[Unit]
Description=Script On Reboot

[Service]
User=pi
WorkingDirectory=/home/pi
Type=oneshot
RemainAfterExit=yes
ExecStart=/home/pi/reboot/on_reboot.sh

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Edit again with sudo systemctl edit --full on_reboot.service.

Enable the service:

rpi ~$ sudo systemctl enable on_reboot.service

Reboot.

Check with systemctl status on_reboot.service