Cannot run program "..." error=2, No such file or directory (java)

Question

I am trying to make a java program that will set up a SSH connection for me on my macbook. It prompts me for the username, and then the IP address, then it is supposed to do "ssh username@ip".

Below is my code:

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class SSH {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    boolean rep = true;
    String username = (null);
    String IPAdress = (null);
    while (rep) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        System.out.print("Username:  ");
        username = scanner.next();
        System.out.print("\nIP Adress:  ");
        IPAdress = scanner.next();
        System.out.println("\n\nIs this correct?\nUsername:  " + username + "\nIP Adress:  " + IPAdress + "\nY/N");
        char responce = scanner.next().charAt(0);

        if (responce == 'Y' || responce == 'y') {
            rep = false;
            scanner.close();
        } else if (responce == 'N' || responce == 'n') {

        } else {
            Error displayErrorMessage = new Error();
            displayErrorMessage.displayError();
        }
    }
    String SSHStartup = username + "@" + IPAdress;
    System.out.println("Running command:  ssh " + SSHStartup);
    String[] command = { "/bin/bash, -c , ssh " + SSHStartup };
    Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
    p.waitFor();
    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()));
    String line = "";
    StringBuffer output = new StringBuffer();
    while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
        output.append(line + "\n");
    }
}
}

I know, its messy, and now well indented, but instead of executing the command, it gives me this:

Exception in thread "main" java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "/bin/bash, -c , ssh root@(ip here)": error=2, No such file or directory
at java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(ProcessBuilder.java:1048)
at java.lang.Runtime.exec(Runtime.java:620)
at java.lang.Runtime.exec(Runtime.java:485)
at SSH.main(SSH.java:32)
Caused by: java.io.IOException: error=2, No such file or directory
at java.lang.UNIXProcess.forkAndExec(Native Method)
at java.lang.UNIXProcess.<init>(UNIXProcess.java:248)
at java.lang.ProcessImpl.start(ProcessImpl.java:134)
at java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(ProcessBuilder.java:1029)
... 3 more

For the purpose of this post, I have removed the IP address, but when I compile and run it, I try the actual one, and it gives me the same error.

Help?

@Tunaki, it returns -r-xr-xr-x 1 root wheel 628496 Dec 2 22:36 /bin/bash — Spud
– Spud, Commented Apr 27, 2016 at 22:30
bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=509628 , there is bug with Eclipse since long time. I could get this resolve by mentioning full path of adb in the programme itself. String[] temp = { "/Users/vikram-anna/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb", "start-server" }; p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(temp); — vikramvi
– vikramvi, Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 9:26

Kenster · Accepted Answer · 2025-07-23 14:47:46Z

23

This is how you're invoking bash:

String[] command = { "/bin/bash, -c , ssh " + SSHStartup };
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);

Your command array contains a single value, namely the string "/bin/bash, -c , ssh ...". Java is trying to use the entire string as the name of a single file and failing to execute a file with that name.

You should construct the command as an array containing the command and its arguments as a sequence of strings, instead of a single string, as follows:

String[] command = { "/bin/bash", "-c", "ssh " + SSHStartup };

edited Jul 23 at 14:47

answered Apr 28, 2016 at 14:12

Kenster

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3 Comments

Spud Over a year ago

What would you suggest I do? Should I create a file with the command "/bin/bash", "-c", "ssh " + SSHStartup in it?

Kenster Over a year ago

Do you see the last line in my answer? The second code block? That's what you should do.

Spud Over a year ago

Sorry, I didn't know that two pairs of "" could cause me over an hour of frustration. Thanks for solving my issue! :)

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