refresh the page - server side

[skynet]

Hi,
I need help to refresh a page , but it cant be client side... it must be server side because i want it to refresh even if people arent browsing my site.

so is there any way to make a refresh that will work even if nones on my site?

and if theres already a topic like that please link me :)

thanks

[Timotheos]

Hi skynet... Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

If you're on a Unix server then what you want to look into is something called "cron". This allows you to run scripts on the server side on a schedule that you specify.

[skynet]

can you explain a little bit what is cron and how it works,

thanks

[Timotheos]

Here's the RedHat documentation [redhat.com] or just Google on "cron intro" for lots of good information.

Most good hosting services will offer cron job setups. They usually make it pretty easy too.

[skynet]

cron works only with linux?
because I user windows, so is there another thing like that but for windows?
thanks

[Timotheos]

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum88/1570.htm [webmasterworld.com]

[skynet]

Ok, so i downloaded PyCron, and it works for windows and i tested it for a win appliaction, but in tutorials on pycron site and in the readme, it doesnt say how it works for sites.

I want to use it to run my php file on my server, every 10 minutes, and my host is lycos, is it possible?

[GaryK]

Might cron and Windows Task Scheduler be the answer to your question? Just set WTS to run the cron job every ten minutes.

[Timotheos]

Looks to me like Pycron works as a service on Windows.

Lycos is your host you say? Lycos Webcentre (UK) has cron jobs

Script Scheduler
With this function commonly called crontab jobs, you can launch scripts at a precise date or every hour. It is often used to receive periodic mail or to launch backend consolidation (database clean, data consolidation)

[skynet]

I dont know how the task scheduler works :(
I never used that lol
and I want to know how to set the cron job or the task scheduler work for a file on my ftp,
can someone help me or link me to a tutorial for that please?
thanks