magento cron in backend configuration

Question

So I know how to setup a cron using the config.xml crontab stuff:

<crontab>
    <jobs>
        <millena_export_send_all>
            <schedule><cron_expr>* * * * *</cron_expr></schedule>
            <run><model>millena_export/observer::exportOrderData</model></run>
        </millena_export_send_all>
    </jobs>
</crontab>

But what I am confused about is how to make that cron_expr a setting in the backend that can be changed (every 5 minutes, every 10 minutes, etc). I am thinking I can use a backend_model and then in an after_save method I can do setStoreConfig('path/to/schedule/cron_expr', '*/5 * * * *') or something to that sort and it will save in the cache. Is my thinking correct? Is there a better way to do this?

Lee Saferite · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-19T21:44:04.990

A better solution that doesn't involve a custom backend model.

config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>   
<config>
    <modules>
        <Company_Export>
            <version>0.1.0</version>
        </Company_Export>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <models>
            <company_export>
                <class>Company_Export_Model</class>
            </company_export>
        </models>
    </global>
    <default>
        <export>                
            <order>
                <cron_settings>*/5 * * * *</cron_settings>
            </order>
        </export>
    </default>
    <crontab>
        <jobs>                
            <company_export_send_order>
                <schedule>
                    <config_path>export/order/cron_settings</config_path>
                </schedule>
                <run>
                    <model>company_export/observer::exportOrderData</model>
                </run>
            </company_export_send_order>
        </jobs>
    </crontab>
</config>

system.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    <tabs>
        <feedsconfig translate="label" module="export">
            <label>Feeds Configuration</label>
            <sort_order>99999</sort_order>
        </feedsconfig>
    </tabs>
    <sections>
        <export translate="label" module="export">
            <label>Export</label>
            <tab>feedsconfig</tab>
            <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
            <sort_order>10000</sort_order>
            <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
            <groups>
                <order translate="label">
                    <label>Order</label>
                    <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
                    <sort_order>2</sort_order>
                    <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
                    <fields>
                         <cron_settings>
                            <label>How often do you want the cron to run?</label>
                            <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
                            <sort_order>40</sort_order>
                            <comment>Use Crontab Format (Eg. "*/5 * * * *" for every 5 minutes)</comment>
                            <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
                        </cron_settings>
                    </fields>
                </order>
            </groups>
        </export>
    </sections>
</config>

And, for anyone thinking this must be a new syntax, it's been this way since 1.1.1 (circa 2009) — Lee Saferite, Jun 19 '12 at 21:42
Why on earth is this not actually documented anywhere official!? — Scott Buchanan, Jun 11 '13 at 21:18
Great find indeed, sometimes Magento really surprises you with neat solutions like this - but it's not nearly as easy to find documentation on it — Christoffer Bubach, May 08 '14 at 14:22

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 23 '11 at 12:42

1

If I were approaching this problem, I might run the cronjob at whatever the maximum interval useful to me was, and then use the cronjob execution itself to account for the system setting. I'm not sure if the solution you posted will work, but if it does come tell us, because it's another pretty clever approach :)

answered Jun 23 '11 at 12:42

Joe Mastey

26,809
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works as expected.. Took me a bit to figure out how to load and save the values but it's good to go – Bryan Ruiz Jul 12 '11 at 22:38

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 12 '11 at 22:37

A proof of concept. Modify to your needs:

<?php

/**
 * Model for Working with the backend cron configuration for export
 *
 * @author bryan
 */
class Company_Export_Model_Config_Cron extends Mage_Core_Model_Config_Data
{

    protected function _afterSave(){

        $groupId = $this->getGroupId();

        $cronStringPath = 'crontab/jobs/company_export_send_' . $groupId . '/schedule/cron_expr';
        $cronModelPath = 'crontab/jobs/company_export_send_' . $groupId . '/run/model';

        $value = $this->getData('groups/' . $groupId . '/fields/cron_setting/value');

        Mage::getModel('core/config_data')
        ->load($cronStringPath, 'path')
            ->setValue($value)
            ->setPath($cronStringPath)
            ->save();
        Mage::getModel('core/config_data')
            ->load($cronModelPath, 'path')
            ->setValue((string) Mage::getConfig()->getNode($cronModelPath))
            ->setPath($cronModelPath)
            ->save();           

    }
}

and the config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<config>
    <modules>
        <Company_Export>
            <version>0.1.0</version>
        </Company_Export>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <models>
            <company_export>
                <class>Company_Export_Model</class>
            </company_export>
        </models>
        <helpers>
            <export>
                <class>Company_Export_Helper</class>
            </export>
        </helpers>
        <resources>
            <export_setup>
                <setup>
                    <module>Company_Export</module>
                </setup>
                <connection>
                    <use>core_setup</use>
                </connection>
            </export_setup>
            <export_write>
                <connection>
                    <use>core_write</use>
                </connection>
            </export_write>
            <export_read>
                <connection>
                    <use>core_read</use>
                </connection>
            </export_read>
        </resources>
    </global>
    <adminhtml> 
        <acl> 
            <resources> 
                <admin> 
                    <children> 
                        <system> 
                            <children> 
                                <config> 
                                    <children> 
                                        <export> 
                                            <title>Order Export Configuration</title> 
                                        </export> 
                                    </children> 
                                </config> 
                            </children> 
                        </system> 
                    </children> 
                </admin> 
            </resources> 
        </acl> 
    </adminhtml>
    <crontab>
        <jobs>                
            <company_export_send_order>
                <run><model>company_export/observer::exportOrderData</model></run>
            </company_export_send_order>
        </jobs>
    </crontab>
</config>

and system.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<config>
    <tabs>
        <feedsconfig translate="label" module="export">
            <label>Feeds Configuration</label>
            <sort_order>99999</sort_order>
        </feedsconfig>
    </tabs>
    <sections>
        <export translate="label" module="export">
            <label>Export</label>
            <tab>feedsconfig</tab>
            <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
            <sort_order>10000</sort_order>
            <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
            <show_in_website>0</show_in_website>
            <show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
            <groups>
                <order translate="label">
                    <label>Order</label>
                    <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
                    <sort_order>2</sort_order>
                    <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
                    <show_in_website>0</show_in_website>
                    <show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
                    <fields>
                         <cron_setting>
                            <label>How often do you want the cron to run?</label>
                            <frontend_type>text</frontend_type>
                            <backend_model>company_export/config_cron</backend_model>
                            <sort_order>40</sort_order>
                            <comment>Use Crontab Format (Eg. "*/5 * * * *" for every 5 minutes)</comment>
                            <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
                            <show_in_website>0</show_in_website>
                            <show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
                        </cron_setting>
                    </fields>
                </order>
            </groups>
        </export>
    </sections>
</config>

Does this work? I would not have thought it possible to set arbitrary XML values through the database table, `core_config_data` — clockworkgeek, Jul 13 '11 at 10:54
While this works (from the looks of it) I have posted a much better solution that is supported in the core code since 1.1.1 — Lee Saferite, Jun 19 '12 at 21:45

magento cron in backend configuration

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