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I am currently developing a website. Users can post ads which are added in a database. I would like to delete these ads when they are more than 60 days old. To do so, I will write a PHP script which will find such ads and delete them from the database.

Right, it's easy. But how do I execute this script without loading a page every day in my browser ? How do I ask to my server to execute it automatically regularly ?

Thanks !

PS : I am on a shared server, not a dedicated one. Does it make cron use not possible ?

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    With cron jobs: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron Commented Feb 3, 2011 at 14:00
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    There are 3rd-party sites that can visit your site regularly. I use cron-job.org personally, although. it's in german. Commented Feb 3, 2011 at 14:07
  • Here is a guide for cron jobs on shared hosting servers: drupal.org/node/117351. FYI I use dreamhost, and they offer cron job support, so you should be all ok. Commented Feb 3, 2011 at 14:09
  • Seems to be an interesting solution.. Commented Feb 3, 2011 at 14:11

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Is it Unix/BSD/Linux hosting? Then you are after cron jobs.

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I am on a shared server, not a dedicated one. Can I use cron anyway ?
Well, ask your hosting provider. There's a big chance that you have cron jobs on you account.
Prisoner answered first ;) +1 anyway.
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Using the following:

  • Use cron to automate the task (more info)
  • If you wish to have the page as a web page you'll want to use wget to load the web page (more info)
  • Alternatively, use PHP from the command line by doing something like /path/to/php /path/to/script.php - you need to make sure you give this file (script.php) executable permissions. (more info)

Edit: You can use cronjobs on a shared server, what control panel is available to you? (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)

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I am on a shared server, not a dedicated one. Can I use cron anyway ?
It's a specific interface (of a french host provider). I will check if it's proposed in my interface.
It should be, almost all hosts provide cronjobs.
Right, there is this feature. Thanks ;)

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