Bash if script is called from terminal echo stdout to terminal, if from cron do not echo output

Question

I would like to have a service watchdog script echo the status to the screen if called like ./watchdog.sh but if it is run by cron, there is no need to echo output. What is the proper method? Where does stdout go when a script is run under root's crontab?

AndySW · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-13 22:43:24Z

For the many cron jobs that I run, I purposely make them so if run on command line appropriate outout is generated but the same script if placed in crontab I always capture both the stdout and stderr to a log file:

00 12 * * 1-5 /home/aws/bin/myscript.sh >> /home/aswartz/rje/cron.log 2>&1

Gilles · Answer 2 · 2013-12-13 23:37:37Z

up vote 3 down vote

Cronjob output is sent to the user via the system's mail system.

You can check whether stdout is a terminal:

if [ -t 1 ]; then
     echo Terminal
else
     # not a terminal, don't echo
fi

edited Dec 13 '13 at 23:37

Gilles
289k41478870

answered Dec 13 '13 at 20:08

jw013
23k35383

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