2
[Unit]
Description=captive portal automation

[Service]
Type=simple

ExecStart=/usr/bin/python /home/pi/do.py
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5

The above is the content of a systemd service called caportal.service running on an Ubuntu 14.04 machine. I need to repeat the service for every 30 minutes. How can i do that ?

/home/pi/do.py

import requests,json
import netifaces as ni
import commands as cm


gateway=ni.gateways()['default'][ni.AF_INET][0]

IPaddr=ni.ifaddresses('wlan0')[ni.AF_INET][0]['addr']
mac=ni.ifaddresses('wlan0')[ni.AF_LINK][0]['addr'].upper().replace(':','-')
ssid=cm.getoutput('iwgetid -r')
Home="http://"+gateway+":8010/"

URL=Home+"login.html"
print URL
d={}
d['IdSession']=mac
d['Language']='English'
d['refrescar']='0'
d['ip']=IPaddr
d['mac']=mac
d['DSP']=Home
d['AC']='1'
d['userlog']='vishnu'
d['userpass']='12345'
d['read']='checkbox'
d['Login']='+++Go+++'

try:
    if ssid=='machCochin':
        r=requests.post(URL,data=d)
        print r.status_code
        #raise ValueError("ERROR simulated")
    else:
        print "network is not machCochin"
except Exception as e:
    pass
terdon
  • 100,812
mcv
  • 53
  • Have you considered using cron for it? That's probably simpler. Or make a script that does it, sleeps for 30 minutes, and repeats it? Then you could run the script as a service... – vidarlo May 03 '19 at 09:34

2 Answers2

5

systemd provides an ananalog of the cron jobs. They are called timer.

You need to create both a .service file to run your script and a .timer file with matching filename to schedule it.

Something like:

[Unit]
Description=run my script

[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* *:00/5:05
Persistent=true

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

To run every 5 minutes for example. I let you dig the man page or you search engine to look the OnCalendar directive or others too.

You can even run as a user by placing both files in ~/.config/systemd/user/ or as root in /etc/systemd/system

You need activate the timer to get it running after you reboot

sudo systemctl enable myservice.timer

Add --user to the command above (and without sudo) if you run as a user from ./config

Then, run it with

sudo systemctl start myservice.timer

or 

systemctl --user start myservice.timer
solsTiCe
  • 9,231
  • How would use configure this to persist through a reboot? I've followed the docs, but it does not seem to work. – Martin W May 23 '19 at 14:49
  • FTR: I used a OnUnitActiveSec field instead as it allow much easier syntax like 30m or 1day, etc. – Hi-Angel Mar 17 '23 at 14:57
0

@martin-w to answer your question, you could add OnBoot directive under the Timer section. Something like

[Unit]
Description=run my script

[Timer]
OnCalendar=--* *:00/5:05
OnBootSec=5
Persistent=true


[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

You can check this link for more info.

Abdul Rehman K
  • 1
  • Thank you for offering your support. Please take the [tour] to increase your awareness of how this community operates. One minor concern is that all answers must attempt to resolve the issue described in the question -- not resolve comments made under a post. I don't know enough about this subject matter to determine if your answer resolves the question, but it must. A follow up question from the OP should either be added to the question body or asked as a new question so that this page doesn't descend into a forum thread / discussion. – mickmackusa Feb 05 '22 at 05:57