Web Schedules / Cron Jobs

Web Schedules / Scheduled Tasks provides you the ability to easily schedule a recurring task to execute (run), on a daily, weekly or monthly schedule, a local script or web page. Using the Crontabs (see below for Linux plans), to use a *nix term, you can specify exact times you would like the script to be run.

To Enable a Web Schedule on Windows Hosting Plans:

1. Login to your account
2. Click the green 'Control Panel' button
3. In the "Hosting Spaces" window, Click 'Scheduled Tasks'
4. Click 'Add Scheduled Task'
5. Enter a Name for Task
6. Choose a Task Option*
   1. 'Backup Database'
   2. 'Check Web Site Availability'
   3. 'Send Files via FTP'
   4. 'Send E-Mail Notification'
   5. 'Zip Space Files'
7. Select Time, Priority, Execution
8. Click 'Save' 

 * Each Task Option has different variables available, we have outlined them below

NOTES:

1. We are suggesting that all users use this new feature instead of requesting a Windows scheduled task, Cold Fusion scheduled task or a MS SQL 2000/2005 Job.
2. Your initial start time should be more than 15 minutes in the future.
3. Do not schedule a task to launch more than 1x per 15 minutes. Violators will be asked to remove their task.
4. See the on-screen Quick Help Feature for advanced setup parameters. There are many options you can set.
5. Web Schedules cannot execute (run) a script that is password protected.
6. Scripts to be executed should be local scripts.

TASK OPTIONS

• Backup Database

Based on the database(s) that are installed in your account, you will select the 'Type' (currently MSSQL or MySQL, various versions). You can specify the database name, backup folder and then choose a name for your database backup and choose if you wish it to be Compressed or Not (Zipped)

• Check Web Site Availability

You can choose to essentially 'monitor' your services based on http response codes and based on information either 'contained' or 'not contained' in code. From there you can choose to send an email or connect to another site to send the information to. 

• Send Files via FTP

If you need to upload files at a scheduled time, perhaps in the middle of the night when both server and network activity are at the lowest, this is a perfect tool for that purpose.

• Send E-Mail Notification

This can be used for example as a reminder service to yourself, a vendor or team members to perform a task.

• Zip Space Files

This is a very low scale backup option for your hosting files. You can compress (Zip) all of them or maybe just a directory.

To Enable a Schedule Task (Cron Job) on Linux Hosting Plans:

Warning: You need to have a good knowledge of Linux commands before you can use cron jobs effectively. 

1. Login to your account
2. Click the green 'Control Panel' button
3. Scroll down to the "Advanced" section in the cPanel
4. Click on "Cron jobs"
5. Check the current email at the top of the page, if you need to set a different one, do that then click 'Update Email'
6. Select the interval at which you wish to run the cron job from the appropriate menus, or enter the values in the text boxes.
   

   • Common Settings — This menu allows you to select a commonly-used interval. The system will configure the appropriate settings in the Minute, Hour, Day, Month, and Weekday text boxes for you. (NOTE: If the asterisks confuse you, use the following individual settings instead)

   • Minute — Use this menu to select the number of minutes between each time the cron job runs, or the minute of each hour on which you wish to run the cron job.

   • Hour — Use this menu to select the number of hours between each time the cron job runs, or the hour of each day on which you wish to run the cron job.

   • Day — Use this menu to select the number of days between each time the cron job runs, or the day of the month on which you wish to run the cron job.

   • Month — Use this menu to select the number of months between each time the cron job runs, or the month of the year in which you wish to run the cron job.

   • Weekday — Use this menu to select the days of the week on which you wish to run the cron job.

7. In the Command text box, enter the command that you wish the system to run.
8. Click Add New Cron Job.

NOTE: Specify the absolute path to the command that you wish to run. For example, if you wish to run the public_html/index.php file in your home directory, enter the following command: /home/user/public_html/index.php

NOTE: To disable notifications for a specific cron job, add the following line to the command:  >/dev/null 2>&1

Also See: Website Features KB's | Domain/DNS KB's | HOW TO KB's | Email Settings POP3 / IMAP | Check email online | Email Troubleshooting | Adding an email to your hosting account WINDOWS / LINUX

Contact Support

If you are still having issues, please contact us for further help.
1-877-EPHOST1 | support@ephost.com