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This article provides you a step-by-step tutorial on how you can setup your cron task.

What is a cron task?

A cron task is a system that will automatically trigger jNews without any human intervention.
On all our commercial versions you can execute automatic sending processes to send your messages by batch of e-mails through Scheduled Newsletter, Auto-responder and Smart-Newsletter.

We recommend to use Cron task if you have 3000 or higher number subscribers, and you have a pretty tight limitation from your hosting provider.

Before setting up your cron task, you need to know from your hosting provider your send email limitation to avoid exceeding your limits and possibly crashed your website.

Please click this article to see the List of popular hosting companies with server limitation information.

There are 3 ways to setup cron task in jNews.

  1. jNews Cron System Plugin
  2. Cron task on our own server (Always Free)
  3. Cron task on your own server

Things to note

  • Cron task is only available to Paid user of jNews who want to send their emails without having to send emails manually.
  • Cron task allows you to schedule your emails in the future and it will be sent automatically, even when your computer is turn off.
  • We recommend to use both jNews cron plugin and Joobi free cron service for efficiency.

1. Setup Cron using Plugin

The cron plugin is automatically installed during jNews install process. This type of cron are more efficient sending on your Scheduled mailings. However if you have security extension in your website, this plugin might not work.

To enable your cron plugin, you don't need to go to Joomla plugin manager. Just enable the option in jNews configuration and the plugin will automatically activate.

  • From the admin panel, go to jNews Configuration >> Scheduler Tab >> Automatic schedule function setting
  • Select "Yes" for "jNews Cron System Plugin".
  • Setup Sending Frequency

Before setting your sending frequency, make sure to verify with your hosting provider your limitation on sending email per task.

  • From the admin panel, go to jNews Configuration >> Scheduler Tab >> Scheduler Frequency
  • Set "Scheduler max frequency" and "Maximum emails per task" according to your hosting limitation.
  • And then Save.

Let's take an example to better understand the idea.

xxy.com has 500 email limitation an hour.

xxy.com has to setup the following frequency to avoid over sending.

Scheduler max frequency = 900 seconds
Maximum emails per task = 120 emails

Note: By default jNews has an automatic queue system which blocks your email from the queue to avoid over sending. It also automatically unblocks when the next cron trigger is ready for sending. However it will unblock on the number of emails that is ready for sending, the rest of the emails will need to wait for the next cron trigger.

scheduler-jnews

2. Free Cron task using Joobi server

This is a free cron task hosted in the Joobi server. However if you have security extension in your website, this plugin might not work. It is always advisable to use your own server cron to trigger the scheduled email.

  • Register and validate your account at http://www.joobi.co
  • Login using your newly created account or existing account
  • From the Member's Area, click My Cron
  • Click New to create new cron task
  • Fill in the correct setup and your website information.
  • Click Save once you are done

Type: jNews
URL: This is your website URL not jNews Cron URL. Please provide the correct website URL where you installed jNews. For instance in our website we use http://www.joobi.co
Frequency: The number of minutes our server will trigger the URL entered above.

cron-task-joobi

3. Setup cron task on your own server

Please refer to this article to see some popular hosting control panels cron setup sample.