How to schedule script without cron?

[deko]

Is there a way to get my script to run on regularly scheduled intervals
without using cron? My hosting provider sucks... cannot use cron... I was
thinking perhaps I could create a file every hour in a certain directory and
then fire the script when the file count reaches a certain number, and then
clear out the directory... or something like that. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[oeb -=- bleh bleh bleh]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?


"deko" <nospam@hotmail .com> wrote in message
news:gzaJc.1030 7$kU.2006@newss vr25.news.prodi gy.com...[color=blue]
> Is there a way to get my script to run on regularly scheduled intervals
> without using cron? My hosting provider sucks... cannot use cron... I[/color]
was[color=blue]
> thinking perhaps I could create a file every hour in a certain directory[/color]
and[color=blue]
> then fire the script when the file count reaches a certain number, and[/color]
then[color=blue]
> clear out the directory... or something like that. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>[/color]

You would need cron to create the file every hour unfortunately.

Maybe if one of your friends has a linux box you could get him to set a cron
job that point lynx at the script every so often, or else maybe leave a
browser window open on your machine with a window set to refresh every so
often (with meta refresh or whatever)

[Edward Alfert]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

"deko" <nospam@hotmail .com> wrote in
news:gzaJc.1030 7$kU.2006@newss vr25.news.prodi gy.com:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to get my script to run on regularly scheduled
> intervals without using cron? My hosting provider sucks... cannot use
> cron... I was thinking perhaps I could create a file every hour in a
> certain directory and then fire the script when the file count reaches
> a certain number, and then clear out the directory... or something
> like that. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>[/color]

on your most visited webpage, use some server side code that checks the
time and if it falls withing your interval range, then run some code.


--
Edward Alfert

http://www.rootmode.com/

Multiple Domain Hosting and Reseller Hosting Plans
Coupon Code (Recurring $5/month Discount): newsgroup

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> You would need cron to create the file every hour unfortunately.

yeah, I suppose that just begs the question.
[color=blue]
> Maybe if one of your friends has a linux box you could get him to set a[/color]
cron[color=blue]
> job that point lynx at the script every so often, or else maybe leave a
> browser window open on your machine with a window set to refresh every so
> often (with meta refresh or whatever)[/color]

I have a few linux boxes. So I set up a cron to visit my hosted site? Not
sure what you mean...

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> on your most visited webpage, use some server side code that checks the[color=blue]
> time and if it falls withing your interval range, then run some code.[/color]

That sounds interesting. The key is keeping the schedule.

What I want to do is keep a count of page hits in a 24-hour period, 30-day
period, and 365-day period. I can assume there will always be at least one
hit in a 24-hour period.

[Colin McKinnon]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

deko wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to get my script to run on regularly scheduled intervals
> without using cron? My hosting provider sucks... cannot use cron... I
> was thinking perhaps I could create a file every hour in a certain
> directory and then fire the script when the file count reaches a certain
> number, and then
> clear out the directory... or something like that. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance.[/color]

Short answer:

user@host:~> nohup bash -c '
while true ; do
echo run your prog here
sleep 3600
done'

((((then ctrl-Z))))))
user@host:~> bg
user@host:~> exit
---------------------------
better answer:

read http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/rute-home.html

C.

[Michael Austin]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

deko wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to get my script to run on regularly scheduled intervals
> without using cron? My hosting provider sucks... cannot use cron... I was
> thinking perhaps I could create a file every hour in a certain directory and
> then fire the script when the file count reaches a certain number, and then
> clear out the directory... or something like that. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>[/color]

create a "master" process, execute it in the background
$ ./timer &

that is in a loop:

loop
if nextinterval do something
wait until nextintervaltim e
goto loop

unless you are able to have access to the system level, you are out of luck.
Any process not assoiciated with the server itself, would probably be detecteced
and killed. Do yourself a favor, spend a few extra bucks, get DSL or Cable at a
level that will allow you to run your own server (and use a hardware firewall).
This can be done using DynamicDNS (static IP not necessary). You will not be
able to use outbound SMTP because your IP address does not backtranslate, but
that is no big deal. I use DDNS for inbound POP SMTP and my ISP for outbound.
If your ISP has a history of lots of downtime during the day, then you may need
to look for something more stable.

If they reboot the system for maintenance or whatever, you will have to restart
your script. Use a box that you have control over... Trying to use ISP
"freebies" is really bad idea. Bottom line: if it is that important, get your
own system to work with... BTW, I have 2 Linux boxes and one OpenVMS box on the
net using DDNS (zoneedit.com). .. All can do {L|V}AMP, but they also do a lot more :)

--
Michael Austin.
Consultant - Available.
Donations welcomed. Http://www.firstdbasource.com/donations.html
:)

[oeb -=- bleh bleh bleh]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?


"deko" <nospam@hotmail .com> wrote in message
news:UJaJc.1031 1$qT.8340@newss vr25.news.prodi gy.com...[color=blue][color=green]
> > You would need cron to create the file every hour unfortunately.[/color]
>
> yeah, I suppose that just begs the question.
>[color=green]
> > Maybe if one of your friends has a linux box you could get him to set a[/color]
> cron[color=green]
> > job that point lynx at the script every so often, or else maybe leave a
> > browser window open on your machine with a window set to refresh every[/color][/color]
so[color=blue][color=green]
> > often (with meta refresh or whatever)[/color]
>
> I have a few linux boxes. So I set up a cron to visit my hosted site?[/color]
Not[color=blue]
> sure what you mean...
>
>[/color]

Right, Lets say your hosted site (domain.com) has a phpscript in /php/
called dorun.php that needs to be run every hour, every day add the
following line to your crontab

5 * * * 0-6 lynx http://www.domain.com/php/dorun.php

(I think that is correct, it's been a while since I have used cron)

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> on your most visited webpage, use some server side code that checks the[color=blue]
> time and if it falls withing your interval range, then run some code.[/color]

this is what the log looks like:

Jul 13 2004 06:30 pm|68.110.65.24 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
Jul 13 2004 06:32 pm|68.127.69.10 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
Jul 13 2004 06:34 pm|203.12.69.23 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
Jul 13 2004 06:36 pm|64.122.69.14 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
Jul 13 2004 06:38 pm|68.110.69.26 |Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net

so if I can somehow analyze the date column...

if the bottom visit is less than [time() - 3600 * 24] then
move to the next line
else
run script

does this sound about right?

[Edward Alfert]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

"deko" <nospam@hotmail .com> wrote in
news:VNaJc.1031 3$dX.4722@newss vr25.news.prodi gy.com:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> on your most visited webpage, use some server side code that checks
>> the time and if it falls withing your interval range, then run some
>> code.[/color]
>
> That sounds interesting. The key is keeping the schedule.
>
> What I want to do is keep a count of page hits in a 24-hour period,
> 30-day period, and 365-day period. I can assume there will always be
> at least one hit in a 24-hour period.
>[/color]

On every page load write the current date (not time) to a text file and
compare it to the previous line. If the date has changed, then count the
number of lines in the file (minus 1) and that is the number of hits the
previous day. Write this number to a different file including yesterday's
date and count.


--
Edward Alfert

http://www.rootmode.com/

Multiple Domain Hosting and Reseller Hosting Plans
Coupon Code (Recurring $5/month Discount): newsgroup

[Edward Alfert]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

"deko" <nospam@hotmail .com> wrote in news:uZaJc.1031 6$8Y.3454
@newssvr25.news .prodigy.com:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> on your most visited webpage, use some server side code that checks the
>> time and if it falls withing your interval range, then run some code.[/color]
>
> this is what the log looks like:
>
> Jul 13 2004 06:30 pm|68.110.65.24 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
> Jul 13 2004 06:32 pm|68.127.69.10 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
> Jul 13 2004 06:34 pm|203.12.69.23 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
> Jul 13 2004 06:36 pm|64.122.69.14 1|Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
> Jul 13 2004 06:38 pm|68.110.69.26 |Windows 95|MSIE 5|pacbell.net
>
> so if I can somehow analyze the date column...
>
> if the bottom visit is less than [time() - 3600 * 24] then
> move to the next line
> else
> run script
>
> does this sound about right?
>[/color]

Doesn't your host provide analog, webalizer, awstats, or any of the other
free log analysys programs?

If not, does your hosting provide php and mysql?

Just log every visit to a mysql database and whenever you want to know
anything about your traffic pattern, query the database.

Select count(date) from visitors where date = dateyouwhattokn ow;

You can create whatever sql statement you want. This is the way I would do
it.

--
Edward Alfert

http://www.rootmode.com/

Multiple Domain Hosting and Reseller Hosting Plans
Coupon Code (Recurring $5/month Discount): newsgroup

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> create a "master" process, execute it in the background[color=blue]
> $ ./timer &
>
> that is in a loop:
>
> loop
> if nextinterval do something
> wait until nextintervaltim e
> goto loop
>
> unless you are able to have access to the system level, you are out of[/color]
luck.[color=blue]
> Any process not assoiciated with the server itself, would probably be[/color]
detecteced[color=blue]
> and killed. Do yourself a favor, spend a few extra bucks, get DSL or[/color]
Cable at a[color=blue]
> level that will allow you to run your own server (and use a hardware[/color]
firewall).[color=blue]
> This can be done using DynamicDNS (static IP not necessary). You will[/color]
not be[color=blue]
> able to use outbound SMTP because your IP address does not backtranslate,[/color]
but[color=blue]
> that is no big deal. I use DDNS for inbound POP SMTP and my ISP for[/color]
outbound.[color=blue]
> If your ISP has a history of lots of downtime during the day, then you may[/color]
need[color=blue]
> to look for something more stable.
>
> If they reboot the system for maintenance or whatever, you will have to[/color]
restart[color=blue]
> your script. Use a box that you have control over... Trying to use ISP
> "freebies" is really bad idea. Bottom line: if it is that important, get[/color]
your[color=blue]
> own system to work with... BTW, I have 2 Linux boxes and one OpenVMS box[/color]
on the[color=blue]
> net using DDNS (zoneedit.com). .. All can do {L|V}AMP, but they also do a[/color]
lot more :)

I was looking at DDNS a few weeks ago, but decided to go with a hosting
provider for portability purposes - that is, if I move, or change hosting
providers, my site is still up and email keeps coming. So uptime was
important, and also speed...

I do not have access to the server at my hosting provider, so, as you say,
I'm out of luck in terms of using a process-based schedule.

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> user@host:~> nohup bash -c '[color=blue]
> while true ; do
> echo run your prog here
> sleep 3600
> done'[/color]

that is a good suggestion, but I think a file-based solution might be more
reliable - for example, what if the server gets rebooted or something.

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> Right, Lets say your hosted site (domain.com) has a phpscript in /php/[color=blue]
> called dorun.php that needs to be run every hour, every day add the
> following line to your crontab
>
> 5 * * * 0-6 lynx http://www.domain.com/php/dorun.php[/color]

That sound like it would work, but then, potentially, anyone could kick off
my script. Is this correct? Also, forgive my ignorance, but what is lynx?

[deko]

Re: How to schedule script without cron?

> On every page load write the current date (not time) to a text file and[color=blue]
> compare it to the previous line. If the date has changed, then count the
> number of lines in the file (minus 1) and that is the number of hits the
> previous day. Write this number to a different file including yesterday's
> date and count.[/color]

I have the counter script already written - but I want to update the figures
every three hours and maintain a rolling count. So, every three hours the
figures for each interval (24h, 30d, 365d) are updated. This would be easy
to do with cron, but alas, cron cannot be used...