Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

wet · 2007-01-07 11:21:26

I admit: I have no clue of Linux. And I could use some advice on this:

I followed this FAQ entry in order to have an automated backup for my database. Entering said command on the shell prompt worked as expected,so I tried to add an entry into the crontab using crontab -e:

0 0 * * 0 mysqldump -Qc -u xxxxxxx -h mysql.domain.tld  --password=passwd database_name | gzip > $HOME/dbbackup/xxxxxxxx_txpprod_backup-`date '+%Y%m%d'`.sql.gz

The crontab entry was accepted properly, so the job scheduling shouldn’t impose any problem. Sadly, the job itself won’t run but throws this error message at me:

/bin/sh: -c: line 1: unexpected EOF while looking for matching ``'
/bin/sh: -c: line 2: syntax error: unexpected end of file

How could I proceed?

Sencer · 2007-01-07 11:42:20

Backticks are an old, outdated and no longer recommended way to invoke subshells. Try using $() instead. So the relevant part of the line would look like:

ckup-$(date '+%Y%m%d').sq

wet · 2007-01-07 13:02:06

Done that, results in the exactly same error message. I suspect, I’ll have to get a grip on unix shells… These phpMyAdmin based manual backups are just annoying.

hcgtv · 2007-01-07 15:37:43

AutoMySQLBackup

Sencer · 2007-01-07 17:45:36

It can’t (well, shouldn’t) be exactl the same message, for the simple reason that you should not have any backticks left in the line – therefore it shouldn’t try to match any backticks. It sounds like you might have a runaway backtick somewhere in the line, or maybe a missing (or one too many) line-break(s). Either that, or you have problems with escaping or other special characters. Though I can’t see any of that in the snippet you posted, it seem to be the explanation that makes most sense.

marios · 2007-01-07 19:54:57

I don’t know, if this is of any help. but this is how it works on tXD.

mysqldump -Qc -u xxxxxxx -h mysql.domain.tld  --user=uname --password=passwd database_name | gzip > $HOME/dbbackup/xxxxxxxx_txpprod_backup_`date "+%Y-%m-%d"`.gz

( Adapted to yours, except there are a couple of additional parameters. Everithing is on one line without lin-breaks, but yours was as well.)

regards, marios
(The strike-through is due to forum-textile and the smart-quotes need to be done back to normal quotes of course)

^{Edit: all you needed was another line break marios ;) -Els}

Last edited by els (2007-01-07 22:55:49)

wet · 2007-01-07 20:35:42

Thanks to all of you, unfortunately I haven’t had any luck with the crontab entries so far.

The error message stays the same despite a lack of back ticks as far as I can see. Looks like I’ll have to dive into *nix shells sooner than I’d expected.

Meanwhile, I followed Bert’s recommendation which works. Rotating backups – Nice.

colak · 2007-01-08 08:05:07

hi wet… There is this method in textdrive… Hope it may work for you

Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS support forum

#1 2007-01-07 11:21:26

Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#2 2007-01-07 11:42:20

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#3 2007-01-07 13:02:06

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#4 2007-01-07 15:37:43

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#5 2007-01-07 17:45:36

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#6 2007-01-07 19:54:57

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#7 2007-01-07 20:35:42

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

#8 2007-01-08 08:05:07

Re: Linux, crontab, and automatic mysql backups

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