What is a cron job?

[LastActionHero]

What is it?

[meow]

<quote>
Cron' (short for chronograph) is the unix program used to schedule commands or processes on a regular basis. The cron program is activated by the operating system and checks weather the root or any authorized users have scheduled jobs using the crontab file. cron job' is a slang term for a scheduled operation under the cron program.

'crontab file' is the actual text file that you create that contains your schedule of commands and cron jobs. You can insert direct command line directives into your crontab file and schedule them. You can also write a simple shell script, and then schedule that script to run once a month using the crontab file and crontab command.

A "Cron Job" is used when you need something to happen on a regular basis. A reminder email weekly, a script that needs to run nightly-weekly-monthly, etc.</quote>


:rolleyes: Don't ask where I got that or how to actually do it. :rolleyes:

[LastActionHero]

Thank You Meow. I guess there must be some script which does all these things.

[meow]

You are welcome lastactionhero. Aren't we nice today? ;)

[lucifer]

you can set it up from the command line if you have shell access

[LastActionHero]

No shell access on f2s or Yupapa

[gyrbo]

Just wondering, how do you execute a script all the time without having to open a webpage?

[lucifer]

get your server to call it using cron

or

have a servlet running in the background

[gyrbo]

And how would I do that?

[atlas]

Within your shell do a crontab -e and it'll bring up your user's crontab file.

I posted some pretty detailed information in a previous post:

http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=3130&highlight=crontab

-mk

[pro5ject]

Originally posted by lastactionhero
What is it?
I often asked myself that

[Gayowulf]

:rolleyes: good thing i didnt post my version of what it is.

[LastActionHero]

What was your version?

[Gayowulf]

It is a vulgar slang. I am not going to type it. I had no idea it was a computer term

[LastActionHero]

:D

[meow]

That's right. Don't let the foreigner in on the fun. :rolleyes:

[atlas]

Originally posted by Gayowulf
It is a vulgar slang. I am not going to type it. I had no idea it was a computer term

You're thinking of a different word.

[Gayowulf]

Nope. I know my slang. I dont think this one is too widely known

[LastActionHero]

Hey what happened to Lex's post? I'am sure he posted because I got an email notification that said Lex has replied to your thread blah blah blah....

[meow]

Yeah, I think there were several posts here. Wow. Things disappear. My aviator did. I'm a little scared. :(

[gyrbo]

I guess it's the BB ghost*. Happend to a lot of forums.
* This ghost is Peo or a mod

[LeX]

Originally posted by lastactionhero
Hey what happened to Lex's post? I'am sure he posted because I got an email notification that said Lex has replied to your thread blah blah blah....
Sorry, I deleted it... I have decided that it wasn't too "clean"... ;)

[meow]

lame, lame, lame :rolleyes: ;)

[atlas]

Originally posted by LeX

Sorry, I deleted it... I have decided that it wasn't too "clean"... ;)

that's why I didn't post the word Gayowolf was probably thinking of...

[stu]

hey LeX, PM me the word.. I'm curious..

[meow]

You tell me later stu? Or PM me too LeX. :p

[Gayowulf]

PM me the word too. i am curious

[LeX]

Uhh.. nothing. It's unimportant. Forget it. That's why I deleted my post. :o

[stu]

tee hee.. must be something really lewd..

but that's ok if you don't feel comfortable telling me..