Difference between revisions of "Setting Up a Cron Job"

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* Click on the (+) icon to add an item to the list.
* Click on the (+) icon to add an item to the list.
* Press command+shift+G, type /usr/sbin/cron and press enter:
* Press command+shift+G, type /usr/sbin/cron and press enter:
* Select the cron exexcutable and click Open
* Select the cron executable and click Open


==Vim Editor Commands==
shift + :
* :i // insert text
* esc key // get out of insert mode
* :wq Write file to disk and quit the editor


== Setting up a Cron Job ==
== Setting up a Cron Job ==


<pre>
  crontab -e  # use the -e switch, do not edit the file directly  
Using cron
  crontab -l # shows scheduled jobs
 
crontab -r  # remove the current crontab file
  Use the personal crontab to setup your jobs
 
type
 
crontab -e  ** use the -e switch, do not edit the file directly  
 
Everthing is the same as below except the 6th space in the personal crontab is the field to execute as oposed to the user to run the job
 
example
 
* * * * * /backup/script.sh
 
0 7 */15 * * /var/www/scripts/htmlbackup.sh 2>> /var/www/cronhtml.txt
  0 4 */15 * * /var/www/scripts/sitesavailablebackup.sh 2>> /var/www/cronsites.txt
 
as opposed to
 
* * * * * root /backup/script.sh
 
 
crontab -l - shows scheduled jobs
 
crontab -r  remove the current crontab file
 
 
In the /etc directory you will probably find some sub directories called
 
'cron.hourly', 'cron.daily', 'cron.weekly' and 'cron.monthly'. If you place
 
a script into one of those directories it will be run either hourly, daily,
 
weekly or monthly, depending on the name of the directory.
 
 
If you want more flexibility than this, you can edit a crontab (the name
 
for cron's config files). The main config file is normally /etc/crontab.
 
On a default RedHat install, the crontab will look something like this:
 
root@pingu # cat /etc/crontab
 
SHELL=/bin/bash
 
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
 
MAILTO=root
 
HOME=/
 
 
# run-parts
 
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
 
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
 
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
 
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly
 
The first part is almost self explanatory; it sets the variables for cron.
 
SHELL is the 'shell' cron runs under. If unspecified, it will default to
 
the entry in the /etc/passwd file.
 
 
PATH contains the directories which will be in the search path for cron
 
e.g if you've got a program 'foo' in the directory /usr/cog/bin, it might
 
be worth adding /usr/cog/bin to the path, as it will stop you having to use
 
the full path to 'foo' every time you want to call it.
 
MAILTO is who gets mailed the output of each command. If a command cron is
 
running has output (e.g. status reports, or errors), cron will email the output
 
to whoever is specified in this variable. If no one if specified, then the
 
output will be mailed to the owner of the process that produced the output.
 
 
HOME is the home directory that is used for cron. If unspecified, it will
 
default to the entry in the /etc/passwd file.
 
   
   
== Crontab sections ==


Now for the more complicated second part of a crontab file.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
 
|+ Parts of cron tab
An entry in cron is made up of a series of fields, much like the /etc/passwd
|-
! Minute !! Hour !! Day (month) !! Month !! Day (week)
|-
|*||*||* ||*||*
|-
|0-59||0-23||1-31 ||1-12 or jan, feb,mar,..||0-6 or sun, mon, tue


file is, but in the crontab they are separated by a space. There are normally
|}


seven fields in one entry. The fields are:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|Every Minute||* * * * *||Ever 5 Minute||*/5 * * * *||Ever 30 Minutes||*/30 * * * *
|-
|Every Hour||0 * * * *||Every Hour and 30 min||30 * * * *||Ever 2 hours||0 */2 * * *


|}
minute hour dom month dow user cmd


   
   
minuteThis controls what minute of the hour the command will run on,
* minute of the hour the command will run on, and is between '0' and '59'
 
* hour the command will run on, and is specified in the 24 hour clock, values must be between 0 and 23 (0 is midnight)
and is between '0' and '59'
* Day of Month, that you want the command run on, e.g. to run a command on the 19th of each month, the dom would be 19.
 
* month a specified command will run on, it may be specified numerically (0-12), or as the name of the month (e.g. May)
hourThis controls what hour the command will run on, and is specified in
* the Day of Week that you want a command to be run on, it can also be numeric (0-7) or as the name of the day (e.g. sun).
 
* user who runs the command.
        the 24 hour clock, values must be between 0 and 23 (0 is midnight)
* command that you want run. This field may contain multiple words or spaces.
 
domThis is the Day of Month, that you want the command run on, e.g. to
 
run a command on the 19th of each month, the dom would be 19.
 
monthThis is the month a specified command will run on, it may be specified
 
numerically (0-12), or as the name of the month (e.g. May)
 
dowThis is the Day of Week that you want a command to be run on, it can
 
also be numeric (0-7) or as the name of the day (e.g. sun).
 
userThis is the user who runs the command.
 
cmdThis is the command that you want run. This field may contain  
 
multiple words or spaces.
 
 
Fields
 
.---------------- minute (0 - 59)
 
|  .------------- hour (0 - 23)
 
|  |  .---------- day of month (1 - 31)
 
|  |  |  .------- month (1 - 12) OR jan,feb,mar,apr ...
 
|  |  |  |  .---- day of week (0 - 6) (Sunday=0 or 7)  OR sun,mon,tue,wed,thu,fri,sat
 
|  |  |  |  |
 
*  *  *  *  * 
 
 
If you don't wish to specify a value for a field, just place a * in the
 
field.
 
 
e.g.
 
01 * * * * root echo "This command is run at one min past every hour"
 
17 8 * * * root echo "This command is run daily at 8:17 am"
 
17 20 * * * root echo "This command is run daily at 8:17 pm"
 
00 4 * * 0 root echo "This command is run at 4 am every Sunday"
 
* 4 * * Sun root echo "So is this"
 
42 4 1 * * root echo "This command is run 4:42 am every 1st of the month"
 
01 * 19 07 * root echo "This command is run hourly on the 19th of July"
 
Notes:
 
Under dow 0 and 7 are both Sunday.
 
If both the dom and dow are specified, the command will be executed when
 
either of the events happen.
 
e.g.
 
* 12 16 * Mon root cmd
 
Will run cmd at midday every Monday and every 16th, and will produce the
 
same result as both of these entries put together would:
 
* 12 16 * * root cmd
 
* 12 * * Mon root cmd
 
Vixie Cron also accepts lists in the fields. Lists can be in the form, 1,2,3
 
(meaning 1 and 2 and 3) or 1-3 (also meaning 1 and 2 and 3).
 
e.g.
 
59 11 * * 1,2,3,4,5 root backup.sh
 
Will run backup.sh at 11:59 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,
 
as will:
 
59 11 * * 1-5 root backup.sh
 
Cron also supports 'step' values.
 
A value of */2 in the dom field would mean the command runs every two days
 
and likewise, */5 in the hours field would mean the command runs every
 
5 hours.
 
e.g.
 
* 12 10-16/2 * * root backup.sh
 
is the same as:
 
* 12 10,12,14,16 * * root backup.sh
 
*/15 9-17 * * * root connection.test
 
Will run connection.test every 15 mins between the hours or 9am and 5pm
 
Lists can also be combined with each other, or with steps:
 
* 12 1-15,17,20-25 * * root cmd
 
Will run cmd every midday between the 1st and the 15th as well as the 20th
 
and 25th (inclusive) and also on the 17th of every month.
 
* 12 10-16/2 * * root backup.sh
 
is the same as:
 
* 12 10,12,14,16 * * root backup.sh
 
When using the names of weekdays or months, it isn't case sensitive, but only
 
the first three letters should be used, e.g. Mon, sun or Mar, jul.


Comments are allowed in crontabs, but they must be preceded with a '#', and
* 12 10-16/2 * * /scripts/backup.sh


must be on a line by them self.  
<p class="subhead">When using the names of weekdays or months, it isn't case sensitive, but only the first three letters should be used, e.g. Mon, sun or Mar, jul.</p>
</pre>
<p class="subhead">Comments are allowed in crontabs, but they must be preceded with a '#', and must be on a line by them self. </p>


----
----


==[[#Setting up a Cron Job|Back To Top]]-[[Main_Page| Home]] - [[Ubuntu_Tips|Category]]==
==[[#Setting up a Cron Job|Back To Top]]-[[Main_Page| Home]] - [[Ubuntu_Tips|Category]]==

Latest revision as of 15:03, 17 June 2024

Setting Cron to run on Mac Os

  • Cron needs full disk access in order to run on mac
  • Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access:
  • Click on the (+) icon to add an item to the list.
  • Press command+shift+G, type /usr/sbin/cron and press enter:
  • Select the cron executable and click Open

Vim Editor Commands

shift + :
  • :i // insert text
  • esc key // get out of insert mode
  • :wq Write file to disk and quit the editor

Setting up a Cron Job

crontab -e  # use the -e switch, do not edit the file directly 
crontab -l # shows scheduled jobs
crontab -r  # remove the current crontab file

Crontab sections

Parts of cron tab
Minute Hour Day (month) Month Day (week)
* * * * *
0-59 0-23 1-31 1-12 or jan, feb,mar,.. 0-6 or sun, mon, tue
Every Minute * * * * * Ever 5 Minute */5 * * * * Ever 30 Minutes */30 * * * *
Every Hour 0 * * * * Every Hour and 30 min 30 * * * * Ever 2 hours 0 */2 * * *


  • minute of the hour the command will run on, and is between '0' and '59'
  • hour the command will run on, and is specified in the 24 hour clock, values must be between 0 and 23 (0 is midnight)
  • Day of Month, that you want the command run on, e.g. to run a command on the 19th of each month, the dom would be 19.
  • month a specified command will run on, it may be specified numerically (0-12), or as the name of the month (e.g. May)
  • the Day of Week that you want a command to be run on, it can also be numeric (0-7) or as the name of the day (e.g. sun).
  • user who runs the command.
  • command that you want run. This field may contain multiple words or spaces.
* 12 10-16/2 * * /scripts/backup.sh

When using the names of weekdays or months, it isn't case sensitive, but only the first three letters should be used, e.g. Mon, sun or Mar, jul.

Comments are allowed in crontabs, but they must be preceded with a '#', and must be on a line by them self.

Back To Top- Home - Category

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