How to run cron job on mysql database through php

Question

I am new to cron and I do not know how to work it and I have researched everywhere, but I am confused

I have a mysql database which is connected to php and it is on a website which is called ytable.php.

Within that php file, I have a for loop which needs running every hour in order to retrieve new information. However, I am not sure what to do in order to do this.

I know I have to write 0 * * * * somewhere in the coding.

Most of the answers on this website tells how the * * * * * work, but I am not interested intuit because I already understand that bit of the cron job.

Do you either:

put the command in a text file and write <?php exec(whatevertextfile.txt) ?> in the file itself?

OR

Everyone has been telling me to open up Terminal(Mac) and put it in crontab -e , but I do not know what to write when I get there.

Can you not run a cron job from a php file as I find it easier to edit compared to Terminal.

Please help.

Answer 1

In your terminal:

#lists current jobs setup
someUser~>crontab -l

#let's you edit/create jobs
someUser~>crontab -e

Once you open the file:

 * * * * * /usr/blah/hooray python someFile.py

Then hit ESC . type ":x" <-- short hand for write\\quit

It's best to setup your cronjob for a few minutes from when you create it to see it in action. You can use the >> somefile.txt to log what's going on

Answer 2

Try This,

You need to run a php file through cron job.

in your terminal...

user > crontab -e

0 * * * * /opt/lampp/bin/php  -f  /<absolute path of file>/cron_summary_sales.php

< /opt/lampp/bin/php > this is PHP path, as I use LAMPP, You use appropriate path for your PHP setup in your MAC. you also have to make sure how to run PHP from MAC terminal.

save it.

---

For mac, I think you should do,

0 * * * *  php  /<absolute path of file>/cron_summary_sales.php

OR

0 * * * *   /<absolute path of dir>  php  cron_summary_sales.php