PHP to edit files

[coyoteboyuk]

I'm looking at creating a website that basically saves times and dates
and emails specific people (all taken from a mysql database) when times
have passed. I suppose something like a birthday reminder site, but not
quite.

All I'd like to know is: Is this possible and how much of an
undertaking is it to get the emails out at specific times, instead of
run as a batch at fixed times from a linux cron script.

Cheers
J

[Rik]

co*********@hotmail.com wrote:

I'm looking at creating a website that basically saves times and dates
and emails specific people (all taken from a mysql database) when
times have passed. I suppose something like a birthday reminder site,
but not quite.
All I'd like to know is: Is this possible

Very possible, not even that complicated.

and how much of an
undertaking is it to get the emails out at specific times, instead of
run as a batch at fixed times from a linux cron script.

At specific times: hardly doable with PHP. Something has to trigger the
script. With the proper access, you might schedule loads and loads of
different cronjobs at specific times, but that's hardly a workable solution.

As it's about email, the "specific" time doesn't really matter though, you
can't predict how long an e-mail will take to arrive.

I'd just schedule a cronjob every 15 minutes or so, that queries the
database for tasks to perform. That should do it. If cronjobs aren't
possible, you could trigger it on site visits. If you've got a popular page,
you don't want to trigger it verey time. Add a possibility you will trigger
the script. Possibility = 1 / (average visitors per interval)

Grtz,
--
Rik Wasmus

[coyoteboyuk]

Rik wrote:

Very possible, not even that complicated.

Excellent, thats good to hear.

At specific times: hardly doable with PHP. Something has to trigger the
script. With the proper access, you might schedule loads and loads of
different cronjobs at specific times, but that's hardly a workable solution.

True enough, i see your thinking.

As it's about email, the "specific" time doesn't really matter though, you
can't predict how long an e-mail will take to arrive.

I was hoping to be accurate to + or - 5 minutes, approximately, i think
thats fairly achievable with technology the way it is now, any more
accurate is unncessary.

>
I'd just schedule a cronjob every 15 minutes or so, that queries the
database for tasks to perform. That should do it. If cronjobs aren't
possible, you could trigger it on site visits. If you've got a popular page,
you don't want to trigger it verey time. Add a possibility you will trigger
the script. Possibility = 1 / (average visitors per interval)

Right, I'll go with the cron option as i know it fairly well - i'll
have a bash at working up a script that will check the database and
I'll also have a crack at site as a seperate entity. Thanks for the
pointers - cleared up my approach method, thanks very much.

James

[Comcast-jraff]

I had some luck with this;
pseudo-cron v1.3
http://www.bitfolge.de/pseudocron-en.html

<co*********@hotmail.comwrote in message
news:11*********************@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...

I'm looking at creating a website that basically saves times and dates
and emails specific people (all taken from a mysql database) when times
have passed. I suppose something like a birthday reminder site, but not
quite.

All I'd like to know is: Is this possible and how much of an
undertaking is it to get the emails out at specific times, instead of
run as a batch at fixed times from a linux cron script.

Cheers
J

[coyoteboyuk]

Comcast-jraff wrote:

I had some luck with this;
pseudo-cron v1.3
http://www.bitfolge.de/pseudocron-en.html

Thanks for the pointer. For the moment i cant guarantee web traffic as
often as i'd have to guarantee job execution, although I could leave
the server refreshing the main page every few minutes - seems a bit of
a "crowbar" method. If my site gathers enough users i would definitely
cosider that option though, thanks! It will be a very narrow user-group
initially so i dont expect more than a few visits per day.

Thanks