Problem in executing Cron Jobs - cakephp

Question

i have done a bidding site in Cake PHP.The main problem I am facing is I need to run CRON JOBS on the server.But I dont' know why it is bugging me.I have craeted a controller called 'deamons' and there 4 different actions of it,which I want to run continuously on the server every minute,so that we can run the Autobidder set by each user of that bidding site.
The Cron Jobs I am setting up are...
curl -s -o /dev/null http://www.domain.com/app/webroot/daemons/bidbutler
curl -s -o /dev/null http://www.domain.com/app/webroot/daemons/extend
curl -s -o /dev/null http://www.domain.com/app/webroot/daemons/autobid
curl -s -o /dev/null http://www.domain.com/app/webroot/daemons/close
and the the controller which is handling all the stuff is attached below....!!!
Please suggest me some solution to this so that
If the experts wants to test it..the URL is www.domain.com/app/webroot
And here is the code...which I am trying to run through the CRONS...!!!
<?php
class DaemonsController extends AppController {
var $name = 'Daemons';
var $uses = array('Auction', 'Setting');
function beforeFilter(){
$email='nishant.nightcrawler#gmail.com';
$secondemail='no-reply#bidoppo.com';
$mess='It works';
//#mail($email, 'Test', $mess, "From: ".$secondemail);
parent::beforeFilter();
if(!empty($this->Auth)) {
$this->Auth->allow('bidbutler', 'extend', 'autobid', 'close');
}
ini_set('max_execution_time', ($this->appConfigurations['cronTime'] * 60) + 1);
}
/**
* The function makes the bid butler magic happen
*
* #return array Affected Auction
*/
function bidbutler() {
$this->layout = 'js/ajax';
$data = array();
$setting = array();
$auctions = array();
// Get the bid butler time
$bidButlerTime = $this->Setting->get('bid_butler_time');
// Get various settings needed
$data['bid_debit'] = $this->Setting->get('bid_debit');
$data['auction_price_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_price_increment');
$data['auction_time_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_time_increment');
$data['auction_peak_start'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_start');
$data['auction_peak_end'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_end');
$expireTime = time() + ($this->appConfigurations['cronTime'] * 60);
while (time() < $expireTime) {
// Formating the conditions
$conditions = array(
'Auction.end_time < \''. date('Y-m-d H:i:s', time() + $bidButlerTime). '\'',
'Auction.closed' => 0,
'Bidbutler.bids >' => 0
);
// Find the bidbutler entry - we get them from the lowest price to the maximum price so that they all run!
$this->Auction->Bidbutler->contain('Auction');
$bidbutlers = $this->Auction->Bidbutler->find('all', array('conditions' => $conditions, 'order' => 'rand()', 'fields' => array('Auction.id', 'Auction.start_price', 'Bidbutler.id', 'Bidbutler.minimum_price', 'Bidbutler.maximum_price', 'Bidbutler.user_id'), 'contain' => 'Auction'));
if(!empty($bidbutlers)) {
// Walk through bidbutler entries
foreach($bidbutlers as $bidbutler) {
if($bidbutler['Bidbutler']['minimum_price'] >= $bidbutler['Auction']['start_price'] &&
$bidbutler['Bidbutler']['maximum_price'] < $bidbutler['Auction']['start_price']) {
// Add more information
$data['auction_id'] = $bidbutler['Auction']['id'];
$data['user_id'] = $bidbutler['Bidbutler']['user_id'];
$data['bid_butler'] = $bidbutler['Bidbutler']['id'];
// Bid the auction
$result = $this->Auction->bid($data);
}
}
}
usleep(900000);
}
}
/**
* The function auto extends auctions and bids for an auto bid if neccessary
*
* #return array Affected Auction
*/
function extend() {
$this->layout = 'js/ajax';
$data = array();
$setting = array();
$auctions = array();
$data['bid_debit'] = $this->Setting->get('bid_debit');
$data['auction_price_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_price_increment');
$data['auction_time_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_time_increment');
$data['auction_peak_start'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_start');
$data['auction_peak_end'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_end');
$data['isPeakNow'] = $this->isPeakNow();
$expireTime = time() + ($this->appConfigurations['cronTime'] * 60);
while (time() < $expireTime) {
// now check for auto extends
$auctions = Cache::read('daemons_extend_auctions');
if(empty($auctions)) {
$auctions = $this->Auction->find('all', array('contain' => '', 'conditions' => "(Auction.extend_enabled = 1 OR Auction.autobid = 1) AND (Auction.start_price < Auction.minimum_price) AND Auction.winner_id = 0 AND Auction.closed = 0"));
Cache::write('daemons_extend_auctions', $auctions, '+1 day');
}
if(!empty($auctions)) {
foreach($auctions as $auction) {
// lets see if we need to extend the auction
$endTime = strtotime($auction['Auction']['end_time']);
$extendTime = time() + ($auction['Auction']['time_before_extend']);
if($extendTime > $endTime) {
// lets see if autobid is enabled
// autobid will place a bid by a robot if another user is the highest bidder but hasn't meet the minimum price
if($auction['Auction']['autobid'] == 1) {
if($auction['Auction']['extend_enabled'] == 1) {
// lets only bid if the limit is less than te autobid limit when the autobid limit is set
if($auction['Auction']['autobid_limit'] > 0) {
if($auction['Auction']['current_limit'] <= $auction['Auction']['autobid_limit']) {
$this->Auction->Autobid->check($auction['Auction']['id'], $auction['Auction']['end_time'], $data);
}
} else {
$this->Auction->Autobid->check($auction['Auction']['id'], $auction['Auction']['end_time'], $data);
}
} else {
$bid = $this->Auction->Bid->lastBid($auction['Auction']['id']);
// lets set the autobid
if(!empty($bid) && ($bid['autobidder'] == 0)) {
$this->Auction->Autobid->check($auction['Auction']['id'], $auction['Auction']['end_time'], $data);
}
}
} elseif($auction['Auction']['extend_enabled'] == 1) {
unset($auction['Auction']['modified']);
$auction['Auction']['end_time'] = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $endTime + ($auction['Auction']['time_extended']));
// lets do a quick check to make sure the new end time isn't less than the current time
$newEndTime = strtotime($auction['Auction']['end_time']);
if($newEndTime < time()) {
$auction['Auction']['end_time'] = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', time() + ($auction['Auction']['time_extended']));
}
$this->Auction->save($auction);
}
}
}
}
usleep(800000);
}
}
/**
* The function auto extends auctions in the last IF the extend function fails
*
* #return array Affected Auction
*/
function autobid() {
$data['bid_debit'] = $this->Setting->get('bid_debit');
$data['auction_time_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_time_increment');
$data['auction_price_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_price_increment');
$data['auction_peak_start'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_start');
$data['auction_peak_end'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_end');
$data['isPeakNow'] = $this->isPeakNow();
$isPeakNow = $this->isPeakNow();
$expireTime = time() + ($this->appConfigurations['cronTime'] * 60);
while (time() < $expireTime) {
// lets start by getting all the auctions that have closed
$auctions = $this->Auction->find('all', array('fields' => array('Auction.id', 'Auction.peak_only'), 'contain' => '', 'conditions' => "Auction.winner_id = 0 AND Auction.end_time <= '" . date('Y-m-d H:i:s', time() + 4) . "' AND Auction.closed = 0"));
if(!empty($auctions)) {
foreach($auctions as $auction) {
// before we declare this user the winner, lets run some test to make sure the auction can definitely close
if($this->Auction->checkCanClose($auction['Auction']['id'], $isPeakNow, false) == false) {
// lets check to see if the reason we can't close it, is because its now offpeak and this is a peak auction
if($auction['Auction']['peak_only'] == 1 && !$isPeakNow) {
continue;
} else {
$this->Auction->Autobid->placeAutobid($auction['Auction']['id'], $data);
}
}
}
}
usleep(900000);
}
}
/**
* The function closes the auctions
*
* #return array Affected Auction
*/
function close() {
$expireTime = time() + ($this->appConfigurations['cronTime'] * 60);
while (time() < $expireTime) {
// lets start by getting all the auctions that have closed
$auctions = $this->Auction->find('all', array('contain' => '', 'conditions' => "Auction.winner_id = 0 AND Auction.end_time <= '" . date('Y-m-d H:i:s') . "' AND Auction.closed = 0"));
if(!empty($auctions)) {
foreach($auctions as $auction) {
$isPeakNow = $this->isPeakNow();
// before we declare this user the winner, lets run some test to make sure the auction can definitely close
if($this->Auction->checkCanClose($auction['Auction']['id'], $isPeakNow) == false) {
// lets check to see if the reason we can't close it, is because its now offpeak and this is a peak auction
if($auction['Auction']['peak_only'] == 1 && !$isPeakNow) {
$peak = $this->nonPeakDates();
//Calculate how many seconds auction will end after peak end
$seconds_after_peak = strtotime($auction['Auction']['end_time']) - strtotime($peak['peak_end']);
$end_time = strtotime($peak['peak_start']) + $seconds_after_peak;
$auction['Auction']['end_time'] = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $end_time);
$this->Auction->save($auction);
} else {
// lets check just how far ago this auction closed, and either place an autobid or extend the time
$data['auction_time_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_time_increment');
$newEndTime = strtotime($auction['Auction']['end_time']);
if($newEndTime < time() - $data['auction_time_increment']) {
$auction['Auction']['end_time'] = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', time() + ($auction['Auction']['time_extended']));
$this->Auction->save($auction);
} else {
//lets extend it by placing an autobid
$data['bid_debit'] = $this->Setting->get('bid_debit');
$data['auction_price_increment'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_price_increment');
$data['auction_peak_start'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_start');
$data['auction_peak_end'] = $this->Setting->get('auction_peak_end');
$data['isPeakNow'] = $this->isPeakNow();
$this->Auction->Autobid->placeAutobid($auction['Auction']['id'], $data);
}
}
continue;
}
$bid = $this->Auction->Bid->find('first', array('conditions' => array('Bid.auction_id' => $auction['Auction']['id']), 'order' => array('Bid.id' => 'desc')));
if(!empty($bid)) {
if($bid['User']['autobidder'] == 0) {
// send the email to the winner
$data['Auction'] = $auction['Auction'];
$data['Bid'] = $bid['Bid'];
$data['User'] = $bid['User'];
$data['to'] = $data['User']['email'];
$data['subject'] = sprintf(__('%s - You have won an auction', true), $this->appConfigurations['name']);
$data['template'] = 'auctions/won_auction';
$this->_sendEmail($data);
$auction['Auction']['status_id'] = 1;
}
$auction['Auction']['winner_id'] = $bid['Bid']['user_id'];
}
unset($auction['Auction']['modified']);
$auction['Auction']['closed'] = 1;
$this->Auction->save($auction);
}
}
usleep(900000);
}
}
}
?>

Answer 1

The CakePHP way to run crons is to build your own shells to do the tasks. Shells allows you full access to all of your controllers through the command prompt. Be sure to read this documentation when starting:
http://book.cakephp.org/view/108/The-CakePHP-Console
It shows you how to build your own shells (app/vendors/shells/), how to organize your shells into tasks, and how to properly run your shell as a cron job.
I do it a slightly different way than the documentation describes. My cron statement looks like:
* * * * * (cd /path/to/my/cake/app; sh ../cake/console/cake daily;) 1> /dev/null 2>&1
From there I simply have a shell called app/vendors/shells/daily.php
<?php
class DailyShell extends Shell {
var $uses = array('User');
function main() {
$this->User->processDailyTasks();
}
}
?>
This is far better and more stable than using curl in a cron job.