PHP file run with Cronjobs

[waddledoo]

I am not sure where else I could post this, so for now it's going here.

 

I am trying to run a PHP script once every 40 minutes using cron, accessed through the cPanel of my webhost.

 

The interface allows me to input the time and a command.

 

The time is easy, I know how to use that part.

 

However, I am not sure what to enter for the command exactly.

[requinix]

Put in the path to the script, then make sure the very first line in the file is

#!/usr/bin/php

(check that path before using it - could easily be something else)

[waddledoo]

Is the line

#!/usr/bin/php

placed before the

<?php
//code
?>

in the script?

 

Also, I put the filename in the command line, and got the following error:

/bin/sh: (file).php: command not found

[requinix]

Yes, the very first line. PHP will ignore it.

 

You also need to chmod +x (executable) the file, forgot to mention that. On a terminal,

$ chmod +x file.php

or use whatever you have available.

 

If you're trying to run from a terminal directly you need the full path or precede the filename with a ./

$ ./file.php

[waddledoo]

I'm trying to run from cronjobs through cPanel on my webhost. I'll include a screenshot

[requinix]

The command would be something like

/path/to/your/stuff/file.php

If that doesn't work, find out where they put  the PHP binary (likely /usr/bin/php) and enter

/usr/bin/php -f /path/to/your/stuff/file.php

[waddledoo]

So I would enter either

/public_html/(file).php

OR

/usr/bin/php -f /public_html/(file).php
(^^or w/e the path is)

 

EDIT:

Before you replied, I tried entering '$ chmod +x file.php' and received the error

/bin/sh: $: command not found

[requinix]

1. You have to use the full path. Including the stuff before the public_html. Do a pwd to find out where you are. For example,

~/public_html$ pwd
/home/waddledoo/public_html

Then use /home/waddledoo/public_html/file.php as the command.

 

2. The $ is a placeholder. It represents the prompt from the terminal. You aren't supposed to type it

~/public_html$ chmod +x file.php
~/public_html$ ls file.php
-rwxr-xr-x ... file.php

In the above you're in the ~/public_html folder and you just ran the "chmod +x file.php" command. Then ls showed you that it was executable (the three Xs in the output).

[waddledoo]

I can't exactly use commands to find out where I am, as I don't have any access to a typical command line.

I'm running windows, and using my web browser to access cPanel for my website online.

 

So, I need to type

~/public_html chmod +x (filepath)/public_html/(filename).php

OR is it

(filepath)/public_html chmod +x (filepath)/public_html/(filename).php

or am I still way off

 

[requinix]

Use

/usr/bin/php -f (filepath)/public_html/(filename).php

 

But you shouldn't be putting these scheduled scripts in a web-accessible location. Somebody could go to filename.php on your site and trigger the script. Put it outside the public_html.

[waddledoo]

The file was in public_html so I could test run the script myself.

Regardless, I believe the script is running correctly now. However, it isn't sending me any messages, error or otherwise, so I will have to further test.

[requinix]

cron will only capture output on stdout, and will only email it to you if configured to do so (which it surely is).

 

So

1. Make sure your script outputs any messages it needs to, preferably to stderr

fwrite(STDERR, "Error message");

2. Modify the command to be

/usr/bin/php -f (filepath)/(filename).php 2>&1

This will redirect stderr to stdout.