Running node from a bash script

Question

Quite simply, I'm attempting to automate running a nodejs script using cron, however the script itself doesn't seem to be able to run the file. My script is simple:

#!/usr/bin/env node
node /var/node/assets/js/update.js

However, in running this, it returns that the beginning of the pathing is incorrect:

/home/dev/update.sh:2
node /var/node/assets/js/update.js
      ^^^
SyntaxError: Unexpected token var
    at Module._compile (module.js:439:25)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:474:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
    at Function.Module.runMain (module.js:497:10)
    at startup (node.js:119:16)
    at node.js:901:3

Is there something actually wrong with the bash, or does node have a specific way of doing this? I used /bin/env so that I could have the proper form of "node" regardless of version.

Ray Toal · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-12 17:04:10Z

65

It looks like you are trying to run node from within node. The error message came from node and it looks like node was trying to run the command /var/node/assets/js/update.js.

I would make the shebang line specify bash rather than node.

The top line

#!/usr/bin/env node

means that what follows should be JavaScript code, not bash.

edited May 12, 2013 at 17:04

answered May 12, 2013 at 16:59

Ray Toal

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5 Comments

Pickels Over a year ago

Curses! Was just about to type the same. An other option is also to include the javascript directly inside that file.

Rogue Over a year ago

Hm, in that sense though, wouldn't it mean that if I just provided the path it would work? Because when I only leave the path, it errors with such: pastie.org/pastes/7899197/text

Ray Toal Over a year ago

I'm sorry. I don't follow. I see the error, but what exactly do you do to cause the error?

Maximilian Haindl Over a year ago

A bit late to tha party, but I guess... since this is a node environment, you can simply require your code. Never did that and not tested. @Rogue

Rogue Over a year ago

@MaximilianHaindl 10 years later and I believe you'd be correct for both time periods. That said, I think for this task I would prefer calling into my node application through bash, as opposed to spreading out my node application in various places like cron.

stackunderflow · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-12 17:11:05Z

22

You are already running node on the first line in an unmodified environment.

then on the second line you supply the command node /var/node/assets/js/update.js to that node process.

How about this:

#!/usr/bin/bash
node /var/node/assets/js/update.js

answered May 12, 2013 at 17:11

stackunderflow

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3 Comments

Rogue Over a year ago

Nope, this seems to stall when running (regardless of which script I run)

stackunderflow Over a year ago

How is this answer different from what @Ray is saying? What was your solution in the end?

Rogue Over a year ago

I somewhat gave up on using the env node variable, and just made my script using bash instead. I merely ticked Ray's since his answer was first :)

Daniel Viedma · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-31 22:00:02Z

-6

How about this?

#!/bin/bash

node /var/node/assets/js/update.js

answered Jan 31, 2014 at 22:00

Daniel Viedma

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