Running a PHP script via CRON

[isedeasy]

I am running some php via a cron and I was after the best way to achieve this. Currently I am doing it as follows:-

 

0 * * * * lynx -dump http://www.domain.com/script.php

 

This works fine but I don't want anybody being able to run the script by pointing their browser to the file.

 

Any advice on the best method? Cheers.

[trq]

Put the script outside of your servers document root and have php' cli execute it not the server.

 

0 * * * * /usr/bin/php /path/to/script.php

 

Most of the time (on this board) people use php for cron jobs when they don't even need to. What exactly does the script do?

[isedeasy]

It basically just promotes users, locks old threads and expires stuff.

 

Thanks for the help 

[trq]

It basically just promotes users, locks old threads and expires stuff.

 

So, database stuff. No real need to use php.

[isedeasy]

Well it also sends out emails and private messages via my php classes.

 

Out of interest how would you go about this?

[trq]

Database queries can be executed directly from your crontab file if there not too large, otherwise, yeah, I would write a script. Generally bash but yeah, php's fine if that's what you know.

 

I'm not knocking the use of php, (well not trying too) its just that I see allot of people writing scripts in php that could be easily written in one line within the crontab file itself.

[isedeasy]

Thanks for the help. I need to have a good read up on cron, this is the first time I have used a crontab file.

 

 

[trq]

Its not that hard. The first 5 fields determine when the commands following will be executed.

 

For instance, if you want to give all your users 5 points every day they are a member. No need to write a script, it can be done with a single query and cron.

 

0 0 * * * mysql -uuname -ppword dbname -e "UPDATE users SET points=points+5"