linux - Run Python script at startup in Ubuntu

59
votes

I have a short Python script that needs to run at startup - Ubuntu 13.10. I have tried everything I can think of but can't get it to run. The script:

#!/usr/bin/python
import time
with open("/home/username/Desktop/startup.txt", 'a') as f:
    f.write(str(time.time()) + " It worked!")

(The actual script is a bit different, as I'm just using this for testing purposes, but you get the idea.)

I've tried all of the following, with no luck:

  • Put the command python startuptest.py in crontab, as @reboot python /home/username/Documents/startuptest.py, both as the regular user and as sudo

  • Put the command python /home/username/Documents/startuptest.py in /etc/rc.local

  • Opened Ubuntu's Startup Applications and put the command there

  • Done all of the preceding, putting the command into a shell script and calling that shell script instead

Nothing works. I get the feeling I'm missing something simple. Any ideas? (The script runs fine if I just run the command from a terminal.)

6
pythonlinuxshellubuntu
On /etc/rc.local, did you try to give the full python path there? And add a simple '/usr/bin/date >> /tmp/date.stamp' to rc.local for checking if the script is run. - TeTeT
Can you verify rc.local has +x privileges? What happens if you just try and run /etc/rc.local after startup with the Python script included? - Matt
with crontab you don't get your environment setup so it probably can't find python try qualifying python using the whole path /usr/bin/python or similar - Robert Ekendahl
rc.local has +x privileges; if I run it after startup the scripts runs. Still no dice on startup, though. - crypto
Robert - using /usr/bin/python in crontab seems to work. Thank you! - crypto

6 Answers

38
votes

Instructions

  • Copy the python file to /bin:

    sudo cp -i /path/to/your_script.py /bin

  • Add A New Cron Job:

    sudo crontab -e

    Scroll to the bottom and add the following line (after all the #'s):

    @reboot python /bin/your_script.py &

    The “&” at the end of the line means the command is run in the background and it won’t stop the system booting up.

  • Test it:

    sudo reboot

Practical example:

  • Add this file to your Desktop: test_code.py (run it to check that it works for you)

    from os.path import expanduser
import datetime

file = open(expanduser("~") + '/Desktop/HERE.txt', 'w')
file.write("It worked!\n" + str(datetime.datetime.now()))
file.close()

  • Run the following commands:

    sudo cp -i ~/Desktop/test_code.py /bin

    sudo crontab -e

  • Add the following line and save it:

    @reboot python /bin/test_code.py &

  • Now reboot your computer and you should find a new file on your Desktop: HERE.txt

33
votes

Put this in /etc/init (Use /etc/systemd in Ubuntu 15.x)

mystartupscript.conf

start on runlevel [2345]
stop on runlevel [!2345]

exec /path/to/script.py

By placing this conf file there you hook into ubuntu's upstart service that runs services on startup.

manual starting/stopping is done with sudo service mystartupscript start and sudo service mystartupscript stop

12
votes

If you are on Ubuntu you don't need to write any other code except your Python file's code , Here are the Steps :-

  • Open Dash (The First Icon In Sidebar).
  • Then type Startup Applications and open that app.
  • Here Click the Add Button on the right.
  • There fill in the details and in the command area browse for your Python File and click Ok.
  • Test it by Restarting System . Done . Enjoy !!
8
votes

Create file ~/.config/autostart/MyScript.desktop with 

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=MyScript
Comment=MyScript
Icon=gnome-info
Exec=python /home/your_path/script.py
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=

X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
X-GNOME-Autostart-Delay=0

It helps me!

1
votes

In similar situations, I've done well by putting something like the following into /etc/rc.local:

cd /path/to/my/script
./my_script.py &
cd -
echo `date +%Y-%b-%d_%H:%M:%S` > /tmp/ran_rc_local  # check that rc.local ran

This has worked on multiple versions of Fedora and on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, for both python and perl scripts.

0
votes

nano /etc/rc.local

and edit in

python ~/path-to-script.py

worked for me