[]

I'm currently running a survey for a website I help out on that needs to have its IP tables cleared every 6 hours. They're stored in a mySQL database. I know how to empty it manually in phpMyAdmin, but it's a pain in the ass making sure it gets done every 6 hours. Is there anything I can do on the server to automate the process? Maybe something like a cron job (which I know nothing about)?

Details: I'm using Dreamhost as a host. I know how to use command line stuff and have even done some basic programming, I just don't know where to start for this.

Thanks!

[Dog Like Nature]

Originally Posted by 

I'm currently running a survey for a website I help out on that needs to have its IP tables cleared every 6 hours. They're stored in a mySQL database. I know how to empty it manually in phpMyAdmin, but it's a pain in the ass making sure it gets done every 6 hours. Is there anything I can do on the server to automate the process? Maybe something like a cron job (which I know nothing about)?

Details: I'm using Dreamhost as a host. I know how to use command line stuff and have even done some basic programming, I just don't know where to start for this.

Thanks!

Are you familiar with the [FONT="Courier New"]mysql[/FONT] command line utility?

[jay3ld]

Well i only know how to do it through php but...
If your host allows cron jobs which most do with cpanel.

Go to Cron job. Choose Standard.
Use the new entry. and set it for every day and every 6 hours.
on the command to run do this

Code:
php -q /Pathtofile/EmtpyIpLog.php

the path to file would be from complete path php would have to go
ex. /home/username/crons/EmtpyIpLog.php

It is best to put this somewhere below the web root so nobody can execute it themselves.


In the php file have it connect to the mysql server. get the database. Empty the table
something like this. which is off the top of my head hope its right

Code:
<?
$connect  = mysql_connect('localhost', 'Username', 'Password');
$dbname = 'Mydatabase';
$table = 'logs_ip';
$select = mysql_select_db($dbname, $link);
$result = mysql_query("TRUNCATE TABLE `".$table."`");
$numfields = mysql_num_fields($result);
echo $numfields . ' were removed from ' . $table . ' on the database '. $dbname;
mysql_close($connect);
?>

Make sure to have it off to email you when it does the cron job or you will get a email every 6 hours.

[]

Cool, I'll try that. Thanks for the help!

[]

Hmm...I get these two errors when I try to run that php script:

Warning: mysql_select_db(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link
Warning: mysql_num_fields(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result

I tried running it myself before setting up a cron job, just to make sure it worked. Any ideas as to what's wrong?

[jay3ld]

Oh.. typo

Code:
<?
<?
$connect = mysql_connect('localhost', 'Username', 'Password');
$dbname = 'Database';
$table = 'log_ip';
$select = mysql_select_db($dbname, $connect);
$result = mysql_query("TRUNCATE TABLE `".$table."`");
mysql_close($connect);
?

[]

Working great, thanks so much!