Absolute path in command line containing spaces

[kevinboulain]

Hi there,

Today, I needed to quote a path that may contain spaces but I could not find the correct way to write the .service file.
I tried several things, here is the minimal setup:

# cat > /tmp/space\ bin << EOF
#!/bin/sh
echo blah > /tmp/log
EOF
# chmod +x  /tmp/space\ bin

# cat > /etc/systemd/system/path-with-spaces.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description=path with spaces
After=syslog.service

[Service]
ExecStart='/tmp/space bin'
Type=oneshot

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF
# systemctl daemon-reload
# systemctl status -l path-with-spaces
● path-with-spaces.service - path with spaces
   Loaded: error (Reason: Invalid argument)
   Active: inactive (dead)

Dec 10 09:47:45 host systemd[1]: [/etc/systemd/system/path-with-spaces.service:6] Executable path is not absolute, ignoring: '/tmp/space bin'
Dec 10 09:47:45 host systemd[1]: path-with-spaces.service lacks ExecStart setting. Refusing.
Dec 10 09:48:10 host systemd[1]: [/etc/systemd/system/path-with-spaces.service:6] Executable path is not absolute, ignoring: '/tmp/space bin'
Dec 10 09:48:10 host systemd[1]: path-with-spaces.service lacks ExecStart setting. Refusing.

With a quick search, it seems this is what is causing the error message:

systemd/src/core/load-fragment.c

Line 635 in 564c444

if (!path_is_absolute(f)) {

And this is the the function that test for an absolute path:

systemd/src/basic/path-util.c

Line 48 in 375f1b0

bool path_is_absolute(const char *p) {

So quotes are not supported for the executable path yet?

Backslash (__) does not allow to escape the space in the path too (but it is not indicated in the docs anyway).

Maybe related to #624?

On a side note, is it really necessary to try to reload the .service file even if it contain a syntax error (see pasted log above)?

Regards.

EDIT:
By the way, I'm on a Debian Jessie system (if the information is useful):

# systemd --version
systemd 215 +PAM +AUDIT +SELINUX +IMA +SYSVINIT +LIBCRYPTSETUP +GCRYPT +ACL +XZ -SECCOMP -APPARMOR

[n8henrie]

I think I have the same issue on Raspbian Jessie, can't seem to use a service file with a space in the path.

Thought it would work:

The command to execute must be an absolute path name. It may contain spaces, but control characters are not allowed.

I've tried ExecStart=

• /path/with spaces/executable -> Failed at step EXEC spawning /path/with: No such file or directory
• "/path/with spaces/executable" -> Not an absolute path, ignoring:
• systemd-escape --path "/path/with spaces/executable" -> path-with\x20spaces-executable" -> Not an absolute path, ignoring:
• /path/with\sspaces/executable -> Failed at step CHDIR spawning /path/with spaces/executable: No such file or directory
• /path/with\ spaces/executable -> `The process /path/with\ spaces/executable could not be executed and failed.
• /path/"with spaces"/executable -> Failed at step EXEC spawning /path/"with: No such file or directory
• /path/without_spaces/executable -> Runs without issue

$ systemd --version
systemd 215
+PAM +AUDIT +SELINUX +IMA +SYSVINIT +LIBCRYPTSETUP +GCRYPT +ACL +XZ -SECCOMP -APPARMOR

EDIT: Found an acceptable workaround: ExecStart=/usr/bin/env "/path/with spaces/executable"

[evverx]

Fixed: c853953