Public bug reported: Description already available at https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/293431.
Use case: two (non-root) cron jobs trigger simultaneously (i.e. two different crontab entries scheduled at the same time) Context: Trusty 14.04.4 Desktop LTS $ uname -r /// 3.16.0-50-generic Cron version: 3.0pl1-124ubuntu2 (trusty) Postfix version: 2.11.0-1 (trusty) # cron entry #1 # `rsync' Mozilla FF's profile from RAM-DISK to SSD every 4 hrs. # (FF's profile lives in RAM right from boot on.) 0 */4 * * * . $HOME/.profile; /opt/bin/fxram-sync profile # cron entry #2 # Download an embedded picture from a specific web page every 2 hrs. # Save with date-stamp. 0 */2 * * * . $HOME/.profile; /usr/bin/wget -O $HOME/Press-rev/Pix/$(/bin/date +%Y%m%D%H%M%S).png -o $HOME/Downloads/Logs/wget.log -- https://some.domain.net/news/that-pix.png Cron jobs and pertinent script(s) function perfectly well. Postfix is configured and has be stable in last 18 months. As soon as the 2 cron entries are enabled (to trigger simultaneously) however, Cron Daemon starts sending mixed up stderr outputs (via Postfix). See example below: =============================== From: Cron Daemon <---@ ----> Subject: Cron . $HOME/.profile; /usr/bin/wget -O $HOME/Press-rev/Pix/$(/bin/date +%Y%m%D%H%M%S).png -- https://some.domain.net/news/that-pix.png To: mailu...@domain.com rsync: stat "/home/user/.mozilla/firefox/main/.cookies.sqlite-wal.YA5Dzv" failed: No such file or directory (2) rsync: rename "/home/user/.mozilla/firefox/main/.cookies.sqlite-wal.YA5Dzv" -> "cookies.sqlite-wal": No such file or directory (2) rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1183) [sender=3.1.0] =============================== In the example above one gets the header subject line from cron entry #2, which otherwise produces no error, and in the message body the stderr of cron entry #1 about .cookies.sqlite-wal not being found (normal in my setup). By delaying either one of the two cron entries by a few minutes, the email snafu disappears completely and no stderr output report is mailed. ___________________________________________________________________ COPY OF THE NON-SANITIZED Cron Daemon email provided as attachment. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: cron 3.0pl1-124ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-50.67~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt16 Uname: Linux 3.16.0-50-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19 Architecture: amd64 Date: Sun May 8 20:43:48 2016 ExecutablePath: /usr/sbin/cron InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-09 (729 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417) ProcEnviron: PATH=(custom, no user) TERM=linux SourcePackage: cron UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) mtime.conffile..etc.init.cron.conf: 2014-10-10T12:35:19.881072 ** Affects: cron (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug third-party-packages trusty ** Attachment added: "Cron <ckb@Schubert> . $HOME_.profile; _usr_bin_wget -O $HOME_.thunderbird_835kzmqu.default_Mail_se-flair_4592671.png -o $HOME_Downloads_Logs_wget.log -- https:_stackexchange.com_users_flair_4592671.png.eml" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1579560/+attachment/4658814/+files/Cron%20%3Cckb%40Schubert%3E%20.%20%24HOME_.profile%3B%20_usr_bin_wget%20-O%20%24HOME_.thunderbird_835kzmqu.default_Mail_se-flair_4592671.png%20-o%20%24HOME_Downloads_Logs_wget.log%20--%20https%3A_stackexchange.com_users_flair_4592671.png.eml -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to cron in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1579560 Title: mix-up of cron job stderr outputs for simultaneous jobs when sent over postfix Status in cron package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: Description already available at https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/293431. Use case: two (non-root) cron jobs trigger simultaneously (i.e. two different crontab entries scheduled at the same time) Context: Trusty 14.04.4 Desktop LTS $ uname -r /// 3.16.0-50-generic Cron version: 3.0pl1-124ubuntu2 (trusty) Postfix version: 2.11.0-1 (trusty) # cron entry #1 # `rsync' Mozilla FF's profile from RAM-DISK to SSD every 4 hrs. # (FF's profile lives in RAM right from boot on.) 0 */4 * * * . $HOME/.profile; /opt/bin/fxram-sync profile # cron entry #2 # Download an embedded picture from a specific web page every 2 hrs. # Save with date-stamp. 0 */2 * * * . $HOME/.profile; /usr/bin/wget -O $HOME/Press-rev/Pix/$(/bin/date +%Y%m%D%H%M%S).png -o $HOME/Downloads/Logs/wget.log -- https://some.domain.net/news/that-pix.png Cron jobs and pertinent script(s) function perfectly well. Postfix is configured and has be stable in last 18 months. As soon as the 2 cron entries are enabled (to trigger simultaneously) however, Cron Daemon starts sending mixed up stderr outputs (via Postfix). See example below: =============================== From: Cron Daemon <---@ ----> Subject: Cron . $HOME/.profile; /usr/bin/wget -O $HOME/Press-rev/Pix/$(/bin/date +%Y%m%D%H%M%S).png -- https://some.domain.net/news/that-pix.png To: mailu...@domain.com rsync: stat "/home/user/.mozilla/firefox/main/.cookies.sqlite-wal.YA5Dzv" failed: No such file or directory (2) rsync: rename "/home/user/.mozilla/firefox/main/.cookies.sqlite-wal.YA5Dzv" -> "cookies.sqlite-wal": No such file or directory (2) rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1183) [sender=3.1.0] =============================== In the example above one gets the header subject line from cron entry #2, which otherwise produces no error, and in the message body the stderr of cron entry #1 about .cookies.sqlite-wal not being found (normal in my setup). By delaying either one of the two cron entries by a few minutes, the email snafu disappears completely and no stderr output report is mailed. ___________________________________________________________________ COPY OF THE NON-SANITIZED Cron Daemon email provided as attachment. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: cron 3.0pl1-124ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-50.67~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt16 Uname: Linux 3.16.0-50-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19 Architecture: amd64 Date: Sun May 8 20:43:48 2016 ExecutablePath: /usr/sbin/cron InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-09 (729 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417) ProcEnviron: PATH=(custom, no user) TERM=linux SourcePackage: cron UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) mtime.conffile..etc.init.cron.conf: 2014-10-10T12:35:19.881072 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cron/+bug/1579560/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp