running a php file without calling it

Question

How can I run a php file without opening in browsers? Can I do that with php? or Should I use other languages?

i.e. sending a birthday mail to users otomaticly

i.e.2 send a ping every 5 hours etc

Set the cron job to execute that file with the desired schedule — Shakti Singh
– Shakti Singh, Commented May 30, 2011 at 12:53
@Teneff: that link doesn't even exist (and if it did, it'd be likely to be unrelated to the php core). please don't post random links without testing them. — ThiefMaster
– ThiefMaster, Commented May 30, 2011 at 12:54
> dig www.php-cli.com A # ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 48196 - and some further investigation shows that the domain used for the nameserver entries of php-cli.com is not registered... — ThiefMaster
– ThiefMaster, Commented May 30, 2011 at 12:59

k102 · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-30 12:55:34Z

4

for automate your scripts you should use cron

answered May 30, 2011 at 12:55

k102

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Comments

ThiefMaster · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-30 12:54:23Z

2

I'd use python for it.

However, PHP works perfectly fine for this purpose. It has the cli SAPI which is meant for commandline scripts (including cronjobs etc.).

Simply start your PHP file with the hashbang line pointing to the PHP interpreter:

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php
echo 'hello shell';

answered May 30, 2011 at 12:54

ThiefMaster

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gaRex · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-30 13:02:40Z

0

CLI is command line interface. And from cron you can start your PHP scripts through command line.

Form you command line run something like C:>c:\php\php.exe c:\path\to\your\script.php

answered May 30, 2011 at 13:02

gaRex

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