Trying to set up cron to run a python program once every hour. Attempting to add a crontab to /etc gets permission denied. Assuming that my approach to getting a cron is correct, how do I get permission to update /etc
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 12.7
Crontabs are per user in macOS. You manage them in the Terminal using the crontab command (run "man crontab" in terminal to see the man pages).
That said, cron is supported but considered almost obsolete in macOS and the preferred method for controlling background task execution is through launchctl - either LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons. You may want to check out programs like LaunchControl or Lingon3 to help you build what you need - and of course review the Man page for launchctl.
Thank you very much for the current thinking on scheduling background tasks. The most recent community discussion on cron was back in 2008, giving me a strong feeling that my approach might be dated. I will follow your advice and appreciate your taking the time to respond to my question.
Permission denied when adding crontab for Python program execution
