ttytype: couldn't open /dev/tty for reading

[Coolmar]

Hi,

I get the error message "ttytype: couldn't open /dev/tty for reading" only when I run su - username -c "command".

I don't think it has to do with the profile because I get the error before it even starts the profile (I put set -x in the .profile). I can run it from the command line without a problem as well. It is only from cron. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[OldSchool · Accepted solution]

it sounds like you are trying to run this as either a cron job or an init script

you need to take a look at /etc/profile, as this runs before .profile and contains the ttytype command.

you need to stop that section from executing for "non-interactive" logins.

[OldSchool]

see this thread for ways to test for interactive shell:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1047318

[Coolmar]

Yes, I am running it from the cron and that is the only time I get the error. From the command line it is fine.

[Peter Nikitka]

Hi,

if 'ttytype' is the only command in /etc/profile, which tries to access a tty, you can use
[ -t 1 ] && ttytype ...

Else put all unnecessary stuff for 'batch processing' into
if [ -t 1 ]
then
ttytype ...
who am I
fortune
...
fi

mfG Peter

[Coolmar]

I copied the /etc/profile from another 11.23 system and it was back to normal.