Free time scheduling in Ubuntu

C

Lets get the facts straight. Linux noob in here.

Ok, now here is my query. I schedule downloads during the free time (2am to 8am) on my windows installation. Here is how it works. By 2:10am i get connected (using rasdial). By 2:11am, utorrent starts downloading. By 7:55am the pc is shutdown.

I want to do the something similar in Ubuntu. I connect by issuing pon dsl-provider. I have also installed deluge torrent client.

Guide me fellas on how to schedule my downloads in Ubuntu

This schedule thingy is the only fact thats preventing me from being on ubuntu full time.

May be a shell script?

try gnome-sheduler in the repos.it uses cron

^^ gnome-schedule

C

Thanks guys. Ok i installed gnome-schedule. Now what? How do i set the connection to start at 2:10? How do i set deluge to start by 2:11am??

BTW i am getting this error

Code:

no crontab for rahim

while scheduling anything.

C

The link mentioned, gives the procedure for installing gnome-schedule. I have already done that.

^as you can see from my post, we both are in the same boat

.
Hope someone guide both of us.

Check if you have cron running in the list of processes.
Also check this link, *kevin.vanzonneveld.net/techblog/article/schedule_tasks_on_linux_using_crontab/

Regards,
ray

M

rahimveron said:
Found thisHOW TO: Gnome-Schedule
BTW i am getting this error

Code:

no crontab for rahim

while scheduling anything.

what does the command

Code:

crontab -l

return. Does it return the same?

I get that error using gnome-schedule through The Terminal.
BTW here is what i get of crontab

Code:

user@HOST:~$ crontab 
crontab: usage error: file name must be specified for replace
usage:  crontab [-u user] file
        crontab [-u user] { -e | -l | -r }
                (default operation is replace, per 1003.2)
        -e      (edit user's crontab)
        -l      (list user's crontab)
        -r      (delete user's crontab)

M

So, your crontab is working. Just check gnome-schedule's settings, maybe since you seem to have compiled it. It's looking for crontab in the wrong place.

^^ I installed it through the repo.
the Preferences option is greyed-out even when i start it with sudo.

mehulved said:
So, your crontab is working. Just check gnome-schedule's settings, maybe since you seem to have compiled it. It's looking for crontab in the wrong place.

AFAIK, Gnome-Schedule wont compile if it cant find crontab.

its easy as pie, no need to install any extra packages, cron itself is very powerful.

my crontab looks like

Code:

# m h  dom mon dow   command
10 2 * * * cd /home/gaurish/scripts && sh router-reboot.sh | telnet
10 2 * * * DISPLAY=:0.0 /opt/azureus/azureus
13 2 * * * wget -ci /home/gaurish/dl-list.txt
50 7 * * * cd /home/gaurish/scripts && sh router-reboot.sh | telnet

Root's crontab

Code:

50 7 * * * /sbin/shutdown -h 0

gary4gar said:
its easy as pie, no need to install any extra packages, cron itself is very powerful.

my crontab looks like

Code:

# m h dom mon dow command 10 2 * * * cd /home/gaurish/scripts && sh router-reboot.sh | telnet 10 2 * * * DISPLAY=:0.0 /opt/azureus/azureus 13 2 * * * wget -ci /home/gaurish/dl-list.txt 50 7 * * * cd /home/gaurish/scripts && sh router-reboot.sh | telnet

Root's crontab

Code:

50 7 * * * /sbin/shutdown -h 0

Thats why i gave them that link

Btw, why use cd? just give the link to the script.

C

I understand from gary4gar's post that he has created scripts to automate the whole procedure. Am curious of these scripts. How to create custom scripts in ubuntu? If i can create them, then its easy to schedule them using crontab.

M

scripts? You mean shell scripts?

C

^^ well i guess so, told u am a noob as far as linux is concerned...

THIS post shows how!
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=681714&postcount=97

I think u guys can browse tips and tricks in OSS Sticky thread

C

Wohoo !! I succeeded in automating the whole process..i tested it and its working fine... here is my crontab

Code:

10 2 * * * pon dsl-provider  # BSNL Connect, 
11 2 * * * DISPLAY=:0.0 /usr/bin/deluge # Deluge, 
55 7 * * * poff dsl-provider # BSNL Disconnect,

Thanks to everyone, especially to prakash for pointing me to the right thread..

^congrats

Thanks praka bhai tusi great ho!!!
It was so easy( after getting the guidance here).

bump

Could you help me out in doing all these with crontab:

1. hibernate(off)- 12:15 am
2. power on- 2 am
3. dsl on- 2 05 am
4. azureus on- 2 10 am
5. azureus close- 7 45 am
6. dsl off- 8 am
7. hibernate(off)- 8:05 am

can we automate all these?

abhi_10_20 said:
bump
1. hibernate(off)- 12:15 am
2. power on- 2 am

those two need to be done from the BIOS.
search for scheduling featres in your BIOS if they exist.

3. dsl on- 2 05 am
4. azureus on- 2 10 am
5. azureus close- 7 45 am
6. dsl off- 8 am
7. hibernate(off)- 8:05 am

they can be configured from gnome-schedule(install it from repos)
or you can do it through CLI as mentioned above in this thread.

M

You maybe able to use *ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=329902 for 1 and 7
for 3 to 6

Code:

crontab -e

It will open a file, it should look like this

5 2 * * * pon dsl-provider
10 2 * * * env DISPLAY=:0. azureus
45 7 * * * killall -HUP azureus
0 8 * * * poff dsl-provider

I am assuming you use pon, poff for connection and disconnection
I don't have azureus or ubuntu so I don't know the path to azureus, it would be a better idea to give the whole path.
And reading the appropriate man pages would have provided you all these answers
Or a search on your favourite search engine.
Only thing I have no idea about is how to automatically wake up from hibernate.

Also, see *ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=313884 for query #2

thanks.... from what i learnt, its impossible to auto power on using crontab...bcoz cron itself needs a manual system start to up and run. So....only thing left out is by the BIOS.... i explored there....but dint find any option like that... only had 'wake on lan' but my comp is not connected to any lan......any other ideas ?

hey i use crontab..and shutdown at 7.58 but as long as modem remains on..they take that much time as extra and divide total usage by time..i lost abt 800mb this month..help