Bash – How to execute a shellscript when I plug-in a USB-device

bashlinuxUbuntuudev

I want to execute a script when I plug in a device in my Linux machine. For example, run xinput on mouse or a backupscript on a certain drive.

I have seen a lot of articles on this, most recently here and here. But I just can't get it to work.

Here's some simple examples trying to get at least some kind of response.

/etc/udev/rules.d/test.rules 

#KERNEL=="sd*", ATTRS{vendor}=="*", ATTRS{model}=="*", ATTRS{serial}=="*", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"
#KERNEL=="sd*", ACTION=="add", "SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{model}=="My Book 1140    ", ATTRS{serial}=="0841752394756103457194857249", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"
#ACTION=="add", "SUBSYSTEM=="usb", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"
#KERNEL=="sd*", ACTION=={add}, RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"
KERNEL=="sd*", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"
KERNEL=="*", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/test.sh"

/usr/local/bin/test.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash
echo touched >> /var/log/test.log

if [ "${ACTION}" = "add" ] && [ -f "${DEVICE}" ]
then
    echo ${DEVICE} >> /var/log/test.log
fi

The rules folder is watched by inotify and should be active immediately. I keep replugging my keyboard, mouse, tablet, memorystick and usb-drive, but nothing. No log file touched.

Now, what would be the most simple way to at least know something is working? It's easier to work from something that's working than from something that's not.

Best Answer

If you want to run the script on a specific device, you can use the vendor and product ids

  • In /etc/udev/rules.d/test.rules:

    ATTRS{idVendor}=="152d", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2329", RUN+="/tmp/test.sh"

  • in test.sh:

    #! /bin/sh

env >>/tmp/test.log
file "/sys${DEVPATH}" >>/tmp/test.log

if [ "${ACTION}" = add -a -d "/sys${DEVPATH}" ]; then
echo "add ${DEVPATH}" >>/tmp/test.log
fi

With env, you can see what environment is set from udev and with file, you will discover the file type.

The concrete attributes for your device can be discovered with lsusb 

lsusb

gives

...
Bus 001 Device 016: ID 152d:2329 JMicron Technology Corp. / JMicron USA Technology Corp. JM20329 SATA Bridge
...

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