Sending email at specific times using PHP

[bailo81]

I am trying to build a basic reminder system, a user will select a day and time that they want to have an email reminder sent to them. This time will be written to a mysql database. I dont know how to get an email to send without running a php script, which makes it pointless!! Please help!

[BIOSTALL]

MYSQL won't b able to send an e-mail on its own. You need a PHP script (or likewise) to grab the time and send the relevant reminder.

It's like trying to drive a car on its own with no engine, you need the engine to get it going.

BIOSTALL

[zcketcher]

Assuming you have your site hosted/built somewhere where you can schedule CRON jobs I would do the following.

Choose an interval you feel is "regular" enough (once every 15min/once every hour/ once every minute)

Create a php file that, if fired from the command line (>php some_email_function.php) would do everything you want it to.

Create an executable shell file:
#!/bin/bash
php some_email_function.php

..and schedule it in CRON to fire when you want it to.

[Weedpacket]

Originally posted by zcketcher

Create an executable shell file:
#!/bin/bash
php some_email_function.php

..and schedule it in CRON to fire when you want it to.

You shouldn't even need the shell script either if you can just put the php some_email_function.php itself in the crontab.