Conference hydra::amiga_v1

2780.0. "NazCron: Timed Command Processing" by LEDS::ACCIARDI () Sun Jul 30 1989 09:37

    Another goodie to be found on NORSE""::AMIGA:[UPLOAD] is NazCron.arc. 
    The file is in Stream_LF format for Xmodem protocol.

        
    From the documentation included:
    
    NazCron - Version 1.0
    ---------------------
    
    Copyright (c) 1989 by Don Nafis & Nazlo Associates Ltd. All rights
    reserved. 
    
    NazCron provides timed command processing similar to the Unix Cron
    command and the Amiga AmiCron command.  As with these programs, NazCron
    reads events from an ASCII text file and, when the indicated time is
    reached, executes the program whose name and parameters you have
    supplied.
    
    Unlike these other Cron programs, NazCron allows for extensive
    manipulation of the events and most of the program functions through
    ARexx.  You may add, delete and display events using the ARexx language
    and you can use ARexx to control file and event processing.
    
    You do NOT, however, need ARexx to run NazCron.  Without ARexx, NazCron
    is still a full featured Cron program.  NazCron reads and processes the
    same event file format as AmiCron but detaches itself from the CLI,
    executes more efficiently and uses less memory.
    
    Overview
    --------
    
    NazCron executes CLI commands and programs that can be started from a
    CLI at those times you specify in an event list.  This event list is a
    memory resident list that can be loaded from the file named CRONTAB
    located in the S: directory and/or from ARexx scripts.  Every minute,
    NazCron examines the file timestamp.  If it has changed in the last
    minute it reloads the event list from the CRONTAB file.  NazCron then
    searches the event list for all commands that need to be executed,
    executes each such command and then issues a timer request to be
    re-activated a minute later.
    
    NazCron accepts the Unix Cron file format (see below) with minor
    improvements, establishes itself as an ARexx host process and operates
    in the background by disconnecting itself from the initiating CLI.  A
    number of functions are controlled through the ARexx interface
    asynchronously to event timing, i.e all such functions are executed as
    soon as the initiating ARexx command message is retrieved from the
    public message port.
    
    NazCron is a redesign and rewrite of an Amiga public domain program
    called AmiCron which, in turn, is an Amiga version of the Unix program
    Cron.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    There, now wasn't that better than any dumb explanation that I could
    give?  By the way, the original AmiCron program was written by our own
    <CB>.
    
    Ed.
                                                                    

    Re: 0
    
    Ed, ya givin me too much credit...
    I merely took the initial port (which was faulty and lacked at least
    traces of an user interface) and extented it to my needs.
    
    I've been (very randomly) working on a new version of AmiCron, that
    should support WB invocation, running w/o an open console window,
    etc.
    ARexx wasn't that high on my list, but this has changed.
    There is at least on other AmiCron mutation out there, which also
    supports ARexx.
    
    Unfortunatly NazCron comes without source, so I won't be able to
    merge the best of both worlds together.
    Oh well, maybe in some months....
    
    <CB>
    
     

    
    Does anyone have Nazcron on line?  NORSE seems to have gone away and I've
    misplaced this little gem.
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Ed.

wjg::amiga:NAZCRON.ARC

john

    Also, there's a good cron, DCRON, in Matt Dillon's UUCP package.
    
    Wes

    There is DCRON in V1.06D of UUCP that works just fine here.