======= Oxwall Software Cron Configuration Guide ======


To have your site working properly you have to create a cron job to run **ow_cron/run.php every minute**.\\
Cron command could be added via Cpanel/Cron Jobs.\\
\\
Depending on hosting settings, cron command can be run via HTTP request or by local execution. 

==== Run cron via HTTP request (Recommended from version 1.3.2 as an easiest way ) ====

Find "Cron Jobs" icon in your cPanel. If you are not sure where to go check  * [[http://docs.cpanel.net/twiki/bin/view/AllDocumentation/CpanelDocs/CronJobs| Cron jobs guide on CPanel]]. 

Set needed time in **Add New Cron Job** section.
Use one of the following commands for **Command** field:

<code>wget -q -O /dev/null http://www.yoursite.com/ow_cron/run.php</code>

or

<code>lynx http://www.yoursite.com/ow_cron/run.php</code>

or simply

<code>curl http://www.yoursite.com/ow_cron/run.php</code>

|Note: replace http://www.yoursite.com/ with your actual domain name.|

{{:install:enter-command.png?400|}}

|Note: this method is affordable for common operations made on site regularly (updating user's activity, sending emails and etc). \\ In case when you have heavy tasks, like [[http://www.oxwall.org/store/item/40|import profiles]] or data backup, then it is strongly recommended to [[http://docs.oxwall.org/install:cron#run-cron-locally|run cron locally]] |

==== Run cron locally ====

Some hosting companies do not permit local loopback, so using wget, lynx or curl will not work. Or when you have heavy tasks, like [[http://www.oxwall.org/store/item/40|import profiles]] or data backup, then running Cron task will fail due to server limitations. \\

If this is one of the cases follow steps given bellow to create command to setup cron job via Cpanel/Cron Jobs to run locally. Instructions are given based on assumption that you have ssh access and any ssh client.


- Login to your server via SSH

- Run **cd [path-to-your-Oxwall-homedir]/ow_cron** command to enter the Cron folder

- Run **pwd** command

- You will see the path to the Cron folder (e. g. /home/yoursite/public_html/ow_cron)

- Run **which php** command

- You will see the path to PHP (e. g. /usr/local/bin/php)

Put two paths you got into one: path to PHP/path to Cron folder:
For example:

<code>/usr/local/bin/php /home/site/public_html/ow_cron/run.php</code>

Use this command in **Add New Cron Job** section in cPanel.

Note: contact your hosting company if you have troubles with connecting via SSH.

==== Online cron services ====
If your hosting provider doesn't provide a cron utility or you just don't want to spend time configuring it, then you can use some of the online cron services listed below:\\

  * [[https://www.easycron.com/|https://www.easycron.com/]] 

==== Useful links ====

  * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron | cron wiki]]
  * [[http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2011/07/php-cron-job/| adding cron jobs on Linux]]
  * [[http://www.imranulhoque.com/miscellaneous/install-php-scripts-as-cron-in-windows/| adding cron jobs on Windows]]
  * [[http://docs.cpanel.net/twiki/bin/view/AllDocumentation/CpanelDocs/CronJobs| adding cron jobs on CPanel]]