Linux cron and Enigma2 timers

Cron runs Linux commands on a calendar schedule. It knows neither EPG programmes nor Enigma2’s recording state automatically. Use recording timers for recordings and the Scheduler for wakeup and coordinated power actions.

Property	Enigma2 timers/tasks	Linux cron
Understands services and EPG	Recording timers can take programme details	No
Considers Enigma2 state	Recording, standby and other checks depend on the action	Only if a custom script implements them explicitly
Wakes from deep standby	Supported wakeup appointments are passed to hardware at shutdown	An ordinary cronjob does not program a wakeup alarm
Runs with the GUI stopped	Enigma2 timers need Enigma2	Yes, if Linux and the cron daemon keep running
Runs without power	No	No

Configure through the interface

Open Menu → Timers → Cron Timers. If the manager offers to install Cronie, the corresponding feed package is required. Service started and autostart enabled are separate states: a saved job will not run while the service remains stopped.

Use Add to choose a pattern such as daily and a time. Enter a custom command or select an offered script; the checked manager finds predefined scripts under /usr/script. Use absolute paths. Scripts need appropriate execute permissions and a valid interpreter.

After saving, check the overview, running service and an actual test execution. An entry displayed in the interface does not prove that cron executed it.

The five time fields

Minute Hour Day-of-month Month Weekday Command
15     5    *            *     *       /bin/date >> /tmp/e2-cron-demo.log 2>&1

This writes the current time to a local test file daily at 05:15. It does not change the clock. In the interface enter only the command beginning with /bin/date; the manager generates the time fields.

* means every allowed value in that field. */15 in the minute field means 0, 15, 30 and 45 each hour. */35 means 0 and 35, not a continuous 35-minute interval. A job on day 31 is absent in months without that day. A user’s crontab has no extra root field; system files such as /etc/crontab use a different form including a username. Cron syntax.

Inspect and edit over SSH

Logged in as root, this displays root’s table:

crontab -l

To edit existing entries deliberately:

crontab -e

Add only the desired line, save in the editor, then check with crontab -l again. crontab -r deletes the entire user’s table, not just one test entry. Read test output with cat /tmp/e2-cron-demo.log; /tmp is not permanent storage. Remove the individual demo line after testing. Crontab utility.

The checked OpenATV interface uses /etc/cron/crontabs/root. Installed Cronie uses /var/spool/cron/crontabs, which points to the same directory on this receiver. Other images may differ: start with crontab -l rather than guessing a directory.

Version note: The checked Enigma2 cron manager still invokes -c as a directory argument. That meaning does not match Cronie’s crontab. The GUI save sequence is therefore not claimed as fully tested here. If it fails, use crontab -e and report the exact image/Cronie version; do not copy BusyBox options to Cronie without checking them.

Why a job is missed or hangs

• Deep standby at the scheduled time: Linux is not running. An ordinary cronjob does not automatically catch up at boot. Anacron is a separate mechanism and does not replace minute-specific recording timers.
• Works only in a terminal: Cron has a different, reduced environment. Check interpreter, absolute paths, permissions and output; do not depend on an SSH session’s working directory.
• NAS offline: File access may wait. Frequently repeated jobs can then overlap. Use a suitable lock and a clear failure path before putting regular NAS scripts into service.
• Recording in progress: Cron does not automatically wait for it. Do not schedule unconditional reboot/shutdown commands as substitutes for Enigma2 tasks.
• Daylight saving or clock correction: Behaviour depends on implementation and entry type. Cronie treats smaller clock jumps specially for certain fixed-time jobs; that does not guarantee catch-up after the receiver was off. Cronie behaviour.

Verification: Checked menu integration, implementation, installed Cronie and path mapping. No cronjob was created or started, and GUI saving was not exercised.

OpenATV interface source: CronTimer.