How to run an executable file from CRON?

[doubleudee1]

I have a couple of executable files in different directories that I would like to run at a set time, I have already got a cron file which I have a couple of commands I run in the mornings but how do I run an executable at a set time within the same cron file?
e.g. my executable is in /dir1/dir2/dir3/ executable-file-name

If I wanted it to run at 1am daily I would I put something like '0 1 * * * ./executable-file-name /dir1/dir2/dir3
or would I have to append the user (I am using pi) somewhere within the executable line?

Never ran one from a cron or anything before other than manually using ./executable-file-name.

Thanks

[markkuk]

The correct cron line would be:

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0 1 * * * /dir1/dir2/dir3/executable-file-name

Each user has their own crontab file that can be edited by the command "crontab -e", so you don't need to specify the username.

[thagrol]

I have a couple of executable files in different directories that I would like to run at a set time, I have already got a cron file which I have a couple of commands I run in the mornings but how do I run an executable at a set time within the same cron file?
e.g. my executable is in /dir1/dir2/dir3/ executable-file-name

If I wanted it to run at 1am daily I would I put something like '0 1 * * * ./executable-file-name /dir1/dir2/dir3
or would I have to append the user (I am using pi) somewhere within the executable line?

Never ran one from a cron or anything before other than manually using ./executable-file-name.

Thanks

The key thing is to use the full path to everything. For a script named bar, in the foo subdirectory of the Pi with the directory /tmp/baz as its parameter you'd do something like this:

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0 1 * * *  /home/pi/foo/bar /tmp/baz

It's probably sensible to capture any output and error messages just in case so:

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0 1 * * *  /home/pi/foo/bar /tmp/baz >/tmp/bar.log 2>&1

[scotty101]

would I put something like '0 1 * * * ./executable-file-name /dir1/dir2/dir3

Don't think so.

Its something like

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'0 1 * * * /dir1/dir2/dir3/executable-file-name 

For example

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0 1 * * * /home/pi/myDirectory/myProgram

Remember your binary will have to be made executable using chmod +x myProgram

[tpyo kingg]

You would remove the dot to have an absolute path, not a relative path. That is to say, use /dir1/dir2/dir3/program

As to specifying the account name, that depends on how you set up the cron job. If you use 'crontab -e' under the account 'pi' then it should not be added. If you edit the system-wide, then you must also specify which account the script will be run as.

See "man 5 crontab" for the details.

[doubleudee1]

Thanks all
Thats cleared it up for me.

WD