This page will help you quickly and easily set up a cron job to run every minute between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm.
The Cron Job/Crontab
To have your task run at this frequency, use the following cron:
* 17-20 * * *
This cron command translates to the following (in Human-Readable format):
“Every minute between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm.”
What is a Cron Job & Crontab?
A cron job is a task that is scheduled to run at a specific time or interval. Cron jobs are typically used for automating tasks, such as running backups or sending emails.
Crontab files are typically stored in the /etc/crontab file, but they can also be stored in individual user’s home directories. To edit your own crontab file, you can use the command “crontab -e”. This will open up the file in your default text editor.
Cron Fields
Every cron job uses five fields. Here is an explanation of what each field does in this cron, which runs “every minute between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm“:
FUN FACT: When troubleshooting issues with cron jobs, it can be helpful to run them manually from the command line – this will allow you to see any error messages that might be generated..
Use Cases
You might want to set up a crontab or cron job to run every minute between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm for several reasons, including:
- Scheduling a meeting
- Turning on lights
- Making dinner
- Doing homework
- Watching TV
Similar Cron Jobs
You might also want to run a crontab:
- every 19 minutes
- every 8 minutes
- every 25 minutes
- every 10 minutes
- every minute between 12:00 am and 2:00 pm
- every minute between 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm
- every minute between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm
FUN FACT: Cron is one of the most versatile tools in a Linux administrator’s toolbox..
Wrapping Up
In this article, you learned how to set up a cron job that runs every minute between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm. Please share this page with friends and colleagues if you find it useful.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment below.
If you are looking for cron jobs that run at certain minutes, hours, days, weekdays, or months, or if you are looking for miscellaneous cron jobs, then check out our relevant sections, or visit our cron job cheat sheet for a list of hundreds of popular cron jobs.