steve@tessi.uucp (Steve Willoughby) (01/04/91)
I need to find a DOS program which does something similar to the UNIX 'cron'
or 'at' commands... namely, wait until a specified time and then run a given
program. This program should ideally be a TSR that contains just enough
code to wait for a certain time of day and then fire up an application,
wait for it to finish running, and then go dormant again.
The application for this is to get UUPC to poll other systems automatically
by waiting until the late hours of the night and then firing up UUPC.
(So, if anyone has a UUPC-specific solution, that would be even better.
The copy of UUPC I have doesn't seem to have any such feature.)
I'd prefer a PD program, or at least a fairly inexpensive one.
Thanks,
Steve
--
Steve Willoughby N7PFJ |-------------------------------------
System Administrator | "There's no point in being grown up
Test Systems Strategies, Beaverton, OR | if you can't be childish sometimes."
Sun.COM!nosun!tessi!steve | -- Dr. Who
or: Steve@Aardvark.PDX.Comschow@bcarh185.bnr.ca (Stanley T.H. Chow) (01/05/91)
In article <628@tessi.UUCP> steve@tessi.uucp (Steve Willoughby) writes: >I need to find a DOS program which does something similar to the UNIX 'cron' >or 'at' commands... namely, wait until a specified time and then run a given >program. This program should ideally be a TSR that contains just enough >code to wait for a certain time of day and then fire up an application, >wait for it to finish running, and then go dormant again. PC-Tools handles this very well. [My standard plug: PC-Tools is the best buy in PC utility. It does everything for very little money.] In this case, the PC-Tools "DeskTop" has a scheduler application. It works like a appointment book and you can run programs at specified times. They give extensive examples for running backup at night. I have not actually used this aspect of it. My only relation with Central Point Software is that I am a satisfied customer of long standing. Stanley Chow BitNet: schow@BNR.CA BNR UUCP: ..!uunet!bnrgate!bcarh185!schow (613) 763-2831 ..!psuvax1!BNR.CA.bitnet!schow Me? Represent other people? Don't make them laugh so hard.
rat@madnix.UUCP (David Douthitt) (01/06/91)
In article <628@tessi.UUCP> steve@tessi.uucp (Steve Willoughby) writes: | | I need to find a DOS program which does something similar to the UNIX 'cron' | or 'at' commands... namely, wait until a specified time and then run a given | program. This program should ideally be a TSR that contains just enough | code to wait for a certain time of day and then fire up an application, | wait for it to finish running, and then go dormant again. I wrote a program called 'at' which takes as its arguments a line that matches a 'cron' line exactly. The program argument is optional. The only drawback is that it does not support the extended formats that are available in crontab - like 0,15,30,45 (for 0 minutes, 15 mins, 30 mins, and 45 mins after the hour for example) or like 1-5 (for Monday thru Friday). Some of the features of my 'at' - it will wait until the specified time/date before continuing. If a program a specified as the sixth option, it will execute that program before completion. If you use the -x option it will return IMMEDIATELY with the return code specifying whether it is time or not, according to the rest of the arguments. This way, you can put 'at' in a larger loop in your batch file and use the exit code to branch on when the time comes. | The application for this is to get UUPC to poll other systems automatically | by waiting until the late hours of the night and then firing up UUPC. | (So, if anyone has a UUPC-specific solution, that would be even better. | The copy of UUPC I have doesn't seem to have any such feature.) By golly, that's almost exactly what I wrote mine for! I used it to write a batch file to poll my UUCP host over Christmas break - three times a night. Never blinked. I use Waffle though - can you send me info on UUPC? I'm also interested in data on the UNIX 'at' if you can get it. I'll send you my 'at' if you want it. -- ! InterNet: deety!rat@spool.cs.wisc.edu ! David Douthitt ! UUCP: ...uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!deety!rat ! Madison, Wisconsin ! {decvax!att}! ! === Apple II Forever === ! Home of Mad Apple Forth and the Tiger Toolbox ! The Stainless Steel Rat