PHP script installation

[artistique_girl]

Hello all,

The problem is, I am a dittsy newbie (for the time being, at least) when it comes to PHP!

I have this script on my webserver, but I dont understand all of the instructions that are located on the install directory.

In step three it says . . . .

3) Install cron jobs
Edit files:
periodic/cmd.php
periodic/notifies.php

periodic/imcron.php
to set correct path to the "inc/header.inc.php" file at the begining of each file.
Add following cron jobs:

0 0 php -q /path/to/periodic/cmd.php
/15 php -q /path/to/periodic/notifies.php

OK- so I know that I have to open the three files in the directory "periodic," I have to edit them, and then FTP them back to my server. But, I am not sure how to set the correct path to the "inc/header.inc.php" file . . .also (*blushing)I don't even know what "cron jobs" are, nor do I know how to add them.

PLEASE. . .any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks!

Artistique

Just in case . . .here is the actual code from the file periodic/cmd.php

<?
/*

*/

require_once( "/path_to/inc/header.inc.php" );
require_once( "$dir[inc]db.inc.php" );
require_once( "$dir[inc]profiles.inc.php" );
require_once( "$dir[inc]admin.inc.php" );
require_once( "$dir[inc]modules.inc.php" );


// - Functions -
function finish()
{
	global $site;
    global $MODE;

if ( $MODE != "_LIVE_" )
{
	$output = ob_get_contents();
	ob_end_clean();
	if ( $MODE == "_MAIL_" )
    {
		mail( $site[email], "{$site['title']}: Periodic Report", $output, "From: Periodic <$site[email]>", "-f$site[email]" );
    }
}
exit;
}

function clean_database()
{
	$db_clean_vkiss = getParam("db_clean_vkiss");
	$db_clean_profiles = getParam("db_clean_profiles");
	$db_clean_msg = getParam("db_clean_msg");
	$db_clean_views = getParam("db_clean_views");
	$db_clean_priv_msg = getParam("db_clean_priv_msg");

// profile_delete
if ( $db_clean_profiles > 0)
{
    $res = db_res("SELECT ID FROM Profiles WHERE (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - TO_DAYS(LastLoggedIn)) > $db_clean_profiles");
    if ( $res )
    {
        $db_clean_profiles_num = mysql_num_rows($res);
        while ( $arr = mysql_fetch_array($res) )
        {
            profile_delete($arr[ID]);
        }
    }
}


if ( $db_clean_vkiss > 0 )
{
	$res = db_res("DELETE FROM VKisses WHERE (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - TO_DAYS(Arrived)) > $db_clean_vkiss");
	if ( $res )
		$db_clean_vkiss_num = mysql_affected_rows();
}

if ( $db_clean_msg > 0 )
{
    $res = db_res("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - TO_DAYS(`Date`)) > $db_clean_msg");
    if ( $res )
        $db_clean_msg_num = mysql_affected_rows();
}

if ( $db_clean_views > 0 )
{
    $res = db_res("DELETE FROM ProfilesTrack WHERE (TO_DAYS(NOW())-TO_DAYS(`Arrived`)) > $db_clean_views");
    if ( $res )
        $db_clean_views_num = mysql_affected_rows();
}

if ( $db_clean_priv_msg > 0 )
{
    $res = db_res("DELETE FROM IMessages WHERE (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - TO_DAYS(`When`)) > $db_clean_priv_msg");
    if ( $res )
        $db_clean_priv_msg_num = mysql_affected_rows();
}


echo "\n- Database cleaning -\n";

echo "Deleted profiles: $db_clean_profiles_num\n";
echo "Deleted virtual kisses: $db_clean_vkiss_num\n";
echo "Deleted messages: $db_clean_msg_num\n";
echo "Deleted private messages: $db_clean_priv_msg_num\n";
echo "Deleted profile views: $db_clean_views_num\n";
}

function del_old_wav_files()
{
    global $TMP_SOUND_DIR;

$num_tmp = 0;
$num_del = 0;

$file_life = 172800;  // two days
$wdir = $TMP_SOUND_DIR;

if ( !( $lang_dir = opendir( $wdir ) ) )
    return false;
for ( $i = 0; $lang_file = readdir( $lang_dir ); )
{
	$arr = explode( ".", $lang_file);

	if ( $arr[1] == "wav" )
	{
		//echo $lang_file."  <br>\n";

        $diff = time() - filectime ( "$wdir$lang_file");

	    if ( $diff > $file_life )
		{		
			unlink ( "$wdir$lang_file"  );
			++$num_del;
        }
		++$num_tmp;
	}
}
closedir( $lang_dir );

echo "\n- Temporary files check -\n";

echo "Total temp wav files: $num_tmp\n";
echo "Deleted temp wav files: $num_del\n";
}

// -------------


function del_old_avi_files()
{
    global $TMP_VIDEO_DIR;
	global $video_ext;

$num_tmp = 0;
$num_del = 0;

$file_life = 172800;  // two days
$wdir = $TMP_VIDEO_DIR;

if ( !( $lang_dir = opendir( $wdir ) ) )
    return false;
for ( $i = 0; $lang_file = readdir( $lang_dir ); )
{
    $arr = explode( ".", $lang_file);

    if ( $arr[1] == $video_ext )
    {
        //echo $lang_file."  <br>\n";

        $diff = time() - filectime ( "$wdir$lang_file");

        if ( $diff > $file_life )
        {
            unlink ( "$wdir$lang_file"  );
            ++$num_del;
        }
        ++$num_tmp;
    }
}
closedir( $lang_dir );

echo "\n- Temporary files check -\n";

echo "Total temp $video_ext files: $num_tmp\n";
echo "Deleted temp $video_ext files: $num_del\n";
}



function modules_proceed()
{
    // update modules
	$n = 0;

$p_res = db_res("SELECT ID, NickName, Email FROM Profiles WHERE Status = 'Active' AND ( ExtraAddons = '' OR ExtraAddons IS NULL OR ExtraAddons = 0)");
while ( $p_arr = mysql_fetch_array($p_res) )
{
    modules_del ( $p_arr['ID'], $p_arr['NickName'], $p_arr['Email'], "gold" );
	++$n;
}

echo "\n- Modules check -\n";
echo "Processed profiles: $n\n";
}

// -------------



// - Defaults -
$MODE	= "_MAIL_";
$DAY	= "_OBEY_";



// - Always finish
set_time_limit( 36000 );
ignore_user_abort();




// - Parameters check -
for ( $i = 0; strlen( $argv[$i] ); $i++ )
{
	switch( $argv[$i] )
	{
		case "--live": $MODE = "_LIVE_"; break;
		case "--mail": $MODE = "_MAIL_"; break;
		case "--force-day": $DAY = "_FORCE_"; break;
		case "--obey-day": $DAY = "_OBEY_"; break;
	}
}



if ( $MODE != "_LIVE_" )
	ob_start();


$day = date( "d" );
if ( getParam( "cmdDay" ) == $day && $DAY == "_OBEY_" )
{
	echo "Already done today, bailing out\n";
	finish();
}
else
	setParam( "cmdDay", $day );




// - Membership check -
echo "\n- Membership check -\n";

$exp_res = db_res( "SELECT ID FROM `Mem_Avff` WHERE amount = 0", 0 );
$rows = mysql_num_rows( $exp_res );
echo "Expired membership records: $rows\n";

if ( $rows )
{
	while( $row = mysql_fetch_array( $exp_res ) )
	{
		db_res( "UPDATE `Profiles` SET ExtraAddons = (ExtraAddons & ~1) WHERE ID = $row[ID]", 0 );
		gold_mem_expiration_letter( $row[ID] );
	}

db_res( "DELETE FROM `Mem_Avff` WHERE amount = 0", 0 );
$rows = mysql_affected_rows();
if ( $rows == -1 )
	echo "Failed deleting expired membership records\n" . mysql_error() . "\n";
else
	echo "Deleted expired membership records: $rows\n";
}

if ( !((int)getParam("days_forall_avff")) )
{
	db_res( "UPDATE `Mem_Avff` SET amount = amount - 1 WHERE Type = '0'", 0 );
	$rows = mysql_affected_rows();
	if ( $rows == -1 )
		echo "Failed updating membership records\n" . mysql_error() . "\n";
	else
		echo "Processed membership records: $rows\n";
}







// - CAff Membership check -
echo "\n- Caff Membership check -\n";

$exp_res = db_res( "SELECT ID FROM `Mem_caff` WHERE amount = 0", 0 );
$rows = mysql_num_rows( $exp_res );
echo "Expired caff membership records: $rows\n";

if ( $rows )
{
	while( $row = mysql_fetch_array( $exp_res ) )
	{
		db_res( "UPDATE `Profiles` SET ExtraAddons = (ExtraAddons & ~2) WHERE ID = $row[ID]", 0 );
		gold_mem_expiration_letter( $row[ID], 1 );
	}

db_res( "DELETE FROM `Mem_caff` WHERE amount = 0", 0 );
$rows = mysql_affected_rows();
if ( $rows == -1 )
	echo "Failed deleting expired caff membership records\n" . mysql_error() . "\n";
else
	echo "Deleted expired caff membership records: $rows\n";
}

if ( !((int)getParam("days_forall_caff")) )
{
	db_res( "UPDATE `Mem_caff` SET amount = amount - 1 ", 0 );
	$rows = mysql_affected_rows();
	if ( $rows == -1 )
		echo "Failed updating caff membership records\n" . mysql_error() . "\n";
	else
		echo "Processed caff membership records: $rows\n";
}


if ( ((int)getParam("days_forall_caff")) > 0 )
{
	setParam("days_forall_caff", "".(getParam("days_forall_caff") - 1) );
}

if ( ((int)getParam("days_forall_avff")) > 0 )
{
    setParam("days_forall_avff", "".(getParam("days_forall_avff") - 1) );
}

del_old_wav_files();
del_old_avi_files();

clean_database();

modules_proceed();

finish();

?>

Thanks again!

[halojoy]

Originally posted by artistique_girl
In step three it says . . . .

3) Install cron jobs
Edit files:
periodic/cmd.php
periodic/notifies.php

periodic/imcron.php
to set correct path to the "inc/header.inc.php" file at the begining of each file.
Add following cron jobs:

0 0 php -q /path/to/periodic/cmd.php
/15 php -q /path/to/periodic/notifies.php

:eek:
I would go toally crazy, if someone gave me such an instruction!
As if everybody knows what that means. Like them 'gurus' all do.

Hardly what I call USER Friendly.
As if there is no ordinary people, with ordinary knowledge levels.

As you would have understand by now, I wont be able to help you.
Just give you some moral support and comfort.

/halojoy - knows plain english - but not mumbo jumbo talk.
😃

[lucasrd]

Cron jobs are scripts or processes that your server will run automatically at specified times.

I'm guessing the application you downloaded has some automatic maintenance that is ran nightly.

first of all, you need to make you have PHP installed, and not just mod_php...try type "which php" on the command line. If it doesn't show up...all is not lost, you'll just have to do a wget of that php file (although not recommended)

Second of all, you'll need access via ssh terminal. (I'm talking linux/unix) If you own the server, look for a file such as this: /etc/crontab if you are on shared hosting, contact yoru ISP and ask how you'd set up a cronjob...

You'll need to edit that file:

nano -w /etc/crontab

from there put in the entries like this:

0 1 * /path/to/phpfile.php

the number and astericks mean the following:

run the script on the 0th minute of the 1st hour every day, month, and day of the week...in other words every day at 1:00am

You'll need to make sure the php file is executable:

chmod 755 phpfile.php

Kind of a lot of mumbo jumbo isnt it...

[artistique_girl]

Well, thanks for the moral support, halojoy!
😉

[artistique_girl]

Originally posted by lucasrd
Cron jobs are scripts or processes that your server will run automatically at specified times.

. . .

from there put in the entries like this:

0 1 * /path/to/phpfile.php

the number and astericks mean the following:

run the script on the 0th minute of the 1st hour every day, month, and day of the week...in other words every day at 1:00am

You'll need to make sure the php file is executable:

chmod 755 phpfile.php

Kind of a lot of mumbo jumbo isnt it...

Thanks lucasrd!

Well, I have a business account on shared hosting that supports mysql database. Your detailed explanation has made it, in fact less cryptic. It had not occurred to me that my hosting company might be able to help me. This is literally my 48th hour trying to deal with PHP, so I will try to wade through it. I'll let ou know if I have an luck.

Thanks!!!!
😉

[halojoy]

I had a look in my Linux filesystem and YES!
I have a file namned /etc/crontab. It is a plain text file, that can be edited.
so now I know 🙂

[lucasrd]

After you edit it and save the changes, make sure to run the crontab command...simply type in "crontab" at the prompt and hit enter.

This will reload the cronjobs inot the system

[artistique_girl]

Well thanks a bunch! Your suggestion to call my ISP was great. As it turns out, they don't support cron jobs . . .but I can transfer my account to their sister company that offers hosting, which does indeed support cron jobs. Of course, it is all dependent on if I can convince their tech guys to install SOX (for audio upload), as this PHP script requires that too.

At least I can get some rest now :o . . . as there is nothing much that I can do until I've changed hosts.

One again . . .thanks.
😉