System Settings/Task Scheduler/en: Difference between revisions

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=== General Information ===
== General Information ==
{|class="tablecenter vertical-centered"
|[[Image:Preferences-system.png|48px]] KCron is a tool for running applications in the background at regular intervals. It's a graphical interface to the Cron command.
KCron is a standard application that is prepackaged for KDE workspaces.
|}


[[Image:Kcron-screenshot-de.png|thumb|300px|center|The Task Scheduler in Plasma 5]]
Task Scheduler is a graphical front end to the standard "cron" utility. With it, commands (or "tasks") can be run at specific times, on a certain day or date, or at specific intervals (time between execution).


=== Usage ===
[[Image:Kcron-screenshot-de.png|thumb|300px|center|Task Scheduler in Plasma 5]]


Task Scheduler can be started by starting the '''System Settings''' application, and selecting <menuchoice>Startup and Shutdown -> Task Scheduler</menuchoice>.
== Usage ==
New tasks can be added and existing tasks edited or removed.
 
Task Scheduler can be started by starting the '''System Settings''' application.
Select <menuchoice>Startup and Shutdown</menuchoice> follwed by <menuchoice>Task Scheduler</menuchoice>.
 
=== Adding and Modifying tasks ===
 
* Click <menuchoice>New Task...</menuchoice> to add a new task, or "Modify" to modify an existing task. The '''Add or modify existing task''' page will be displayed.


==== Adding and Modifying tasks ====
* Click "New Task..." to add a new task, or "Modify" to modify an existing task. The '''Add or modify existing task''' page will be displayed.
[[Image:kcron-task-dialog.png|thumb|300px|center|The "Add or modify task" page of SystemSettings]]
[[Image:kcron-task-dialog.png|thumb|300px|center|The "Add or modify task" page of SystemSettings]]
* Enter the command to be run. Click the folder icon to choose it from a dialog.
* Enter the command to be run. Click the folder icon to choose it from a dialog.
* Enter a comment (optional). This should be descriptive, explaining what the task will do as the command may not always be obvious.
* Enter a comment (optional). This should be descriptive, explaining what the task will do as the command may not always be obvious.
* Click '''Enable this task''' to enable the task to run.
* Click '''Enable this task''' to enable the task to run.
* Click '''Run at system bootup''' to enable the script to run each time the system is booted.
* Click '''Run at system bootup''' to enable the script to run each time the system is booted.
* Click '''Run every day''' to enable the script to run every day. This will automatically select the appropriate options.
* Click '''Run every day''' to enable the script to run every day. This will automatically select the appropriate options.
* Using the buttons, choose when the command should be run. Not all parameters are required, those not needed may be left blank.
* Using the buttons, choose when the command should be run. Not all parameters are required, those not needed may be left blank.
** Hours and Minutes are the time of day to run the task, not an interval.
** Hours and Minutes are the time of day to run the task, not an interval.
* When done, click OK. The task till be added, and scheduled if enabled.


=== Hints ===
* When done, click <menuchoice>OK</menuchoice>. The task will be added and scheduled if enabled.
 
{{Tip|Click <menuchoice>Run Now</menuchoice> to run a task immediately after adding or modifying the task.}}
 
=== Removing a task ===
 
To completely remove a task, select the task from the list and click the '''Delete''' button. This will permanently remove the task.
 
== Environment Variables ==
 
Sometimes a task or multiple tasks need a specific variable set, it must be added in the '''Environment Variables''' section. The '''cron''' utility uses its own environment, system-wide and user-specific variables are not used. Click '''New Variable''' to add a new variable definition, or '''Modify''' to change an existing variable.
 
* Enter the name of the variable to use. This name:
** Must consist of letters, digits, and underscore ('_') only
** Must start with a letter
** Should not be a reserved or commonly used system variable. See https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/basedefs/xbd_chap08.html for more information
 
* The value the variable will contain. This can be a number or string.
 
* Enter a brief description of the variable.
 
== Hints ==


* All the files that are modified are located in the /etc/cron directory where there are numerous files to look at.
* All the files that are modified are located in the /etc/cron directory where there are numerous files to look at.
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* The command-line tool that allows you to have a look at the currently installed cron-jobs is {{Input|1=crontab -l}} (that's the letter L).
* The command-line tool that allows you to have a look at the currently installed cron-jobs is {{Input|1=crontab -l}} (that's the letter L).


==More Information==
* [https://docs.kde.org/stable5/en/kdeadmin/kcontrol5/kcron/index.html KDE official documentation]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron Cron] (Wikipedia)
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/cron Cron] (Arch Linux wiki)
[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:System]]
[[Category:System]]
[[Category:Configuration]]

Latest revision as of 08:30, 1 June 2019

Other languages:

General Information

Task Scheduler is a graphical front end to the standard "cron" utility. With it, commands (or "tasks") can be run at specific times, on a certain day or date, or at specific intervals (time between execution).

Task Scheduler in Plasma 5

Usage

Task Scheduler can be started by starting the System Settings application. Select Startup and Shutdown follwed by Task Scheduler.

Adding and Modifying tasks

  • Click New Task... to add a new task, or "Modify" to modify an existing task. The Add or modify existing task page will be displayed.
The "Add or modify task" page of SystemSettings
  • Enter the command to be run. Click the folder icon to choose it from a dialog.
  • Enter a comment (optional). This should be descriptive, explaining what the task will do as the command may not always be obvious.
  • Click Enable this task to enable the task to run.
  • Click Run at system bootup to enable the script to run each time the system is booted.
  • Click Run every day to enable the script to run every day. This will automatically select the appropriate options.
  • Using the buttons, choose when the command should be run. Not all parameters are required, those not needed may be left blank.
    • Hours and Minutes are the time of day to run the task, not an interval.
  • When done, click OK. The task will be added and scheduled if enabled.
Tip
Click Run Now to run a task immediately after adding or modifying the task.


Removing a task

To completely remove a task, select the task from the list and click the Delete button. This will permanently remove the task.

Environment Variables

Sometimes a task or multiple tasks need a specific variable set, it must be added in the Environment Variables section. The cron utility uses its own environment, system-wide and user-specific variables are not used. Click New Variable to add a new variable definition, or Modify to change an existing variable.

  • The value the variable will contain. This can be a number or string.
  • Enter a brief description of the variable.

Hints

  • All the files that are modified are located in the /etc/cron directory where there are numerous files to look at.
  • The command-line tool that allows you to have a look at the currently installed cron-jobs is 
    crontab -l
    (that's the letter L).

More Information

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