running script at some time

Anon

Hi!
i'm interested how to make a script that would run on some day at some time and do something.
my idea is to make a script that would send me a e-mail as a reminder.Like if i have an appointment at xx:yy:zzzz day in xx:yy time to send me an email to me so i wouldnt forget the appointment. i can do everything but i dont know who to make it run at some time. please help me. miro

Anon

if you are using unix, lookup crond.
or if you're using windows, there's a program call 'task scheduler' which run programs at a specified time (just like crond).

in both cases the actual command to run would be:

/path/to/php -q [your script name]

Anon

I don't think I would use PHP for something like this unless I was using PHP to build a calendaring site...and at which time I would have PHP actually watch the time come and go. Im not sure what kind of resource taxing issue this would have on a server though and Im almost positive that would depend on how the PHP mechanism was built (as well as the apache server...or likewise webserver)...

Now, if you simply want a script to watch a config file or something that has your appointment dates listed, I suggest using bourne, korn, or bourne again shells or Perl..or expect...and then cron(1) the script. This is how I would do it. The only real time I use PHP is when I need a web interface...another way to write CGi vs using Perl. If it doesn't need a web interface, I use Perl or sh.

Just my two sense... =P

btw, Im not saying it can't be done with PHP, Im simply saying it my be in your best interest to use a different scripting language. I'd be curious to hear what others have to say.

Anon

One thing though...

if you didn't compile php as a cgi script, how could you have a path to it as I believe most people compile it as a module...

Is there something I don't know or missed about php???

Anon

Look into a program called lynx. It sends a request for a URL and returns the results, which can be sent to an email address.

I don't know if there is anything comparable for a Windows environment, but I've been using lynx with my cron jobs on Linux and it's worked very well for me.

-Keegan

Anon

Yeah...lynx is cool...but why go through all the resources of using apache, lynx, AND the php mod (or php cgi)? I still think it would be better to hit this from the other side ie perl, sh, or something like that.

Anon

Jim wrote:

btw, Im not saying it can't be done with PHP, Im simply saying it may be in your best interest to use a different scripting language. I'd be curious to hear what others have to say.

What's the difference between running a shell PHP or Perl script ? Both need an interpretor and have similar features. It's only a matter of preferred language.

Anon

I've got the same problem.

Olivier is right though Perl would be a better scripting language to use. As Perl is a more rounded language than PHP.

Greg🙂

Anon

Hi!.
I want to say that I would develop it under Win (PHP 4.0.4 and Apache Web server) and then put it on the real web server that is running under Slackware with PHP and Apache Web server.
Im not familiar with Linux a lot so if someone could explain how to use cran with php I would be grateful. Thanks for replies,
Miro Svrtan
msvrtan@kset.org

Anon

Because the incremental hit of calling a single PHP page via lynx, wget, or even my perl-script html-page-getter that I posted a while back is negligible unless the script is being launched ever minute. Compared with the effort of adding/maintaining Yet Another Language to the project, it's truly trivial.

Anon

Not if you don't know Perl it isn't!

:-)

Anon

There is no such thing as a "shell php" unless the maintainer of the site actually built the php cgi vs the php module. AFAIK, most people build the php module because it is more efficient. If this is the case for this guy, then there basicly is no such thing as a "shell php" script. Therefore, in order for this person to attain his goal using php he'd have to write the php script then cron a lynx call. Someone mentioned that this is trivial, however, I disagree simply because look at the number of different processes get called...

"shell php"
init -> crond -> lynx -> apache -> php mod -> php script

perl
init -> crond -> perl -> perl script

Just that alone should be obvious which one is more resource intensive. Without getting into the innerworkings of apache/php/perl etc, it would seem to me that one should go the less resource intensive route no matter how miniscule the amount of extra resources maybe. Don't get me wrong...I really am just sharing my opinion. Im not saying there is a wrong way and a right way Im only sharing the more logical way I see it.

Anon

I need to apologize. There was something about php that I didn't know about until just now. PHP does make an executable interpretter that does not need the apache webserver or the php.cgi interpretter. So, on this note, you can cron it. And in fact, you can make a script out of it (Im assuming. I haven't played with it much but I will be 🙂 ).

(hist 512)# cat mytestscript.php
#!/usr/local/bin/php -q

<? echo "This is a test\n"; ?>

(hist 513)# ./mytestscript.php

This is a test

(hist 514)#

and sorry again folks for not being quite as accurate as I would have liked to have been.

Anon

can one of you guys share some of the email reminder porgram to us.
I hope can learn from it. thanks