Introduction - What is SINC32+

• SINC32+ is an enhanced version of SINC32.
• SINC32+ is similar to cron available on Unix.
• Extension for extra functionality.
• See ReadMe for detail description.

Installation

• No installation required.
• Simply unzip the downloaded ZIP file to <path-of-your-choice>.

Launch

• Following these simple steps:
  1. edit sinctab.stf (with your favorite editor).
  2. launch <sinc32-path>/sinc32.exe (from anywhere in your PC).
• sinc32.exe (or a shortcut) can be added to the "StartUp" folder if you want SINC32+ to be run automatically when MS-Windows starts.

Command Line Options

• -h Quick help menu
• -q Quite mode - logging is disabled
• -t specify check interval (in seconds)
• -l <filename> Write log messages to <filename> instead of default (sinc32.log)
• -f <filename> Use <filename> as crontab file instead of default (sinctab.stf)
• -d (*debug*) Open a console when launch
• -i (*debug*) Enable interactive console (NOT-YET-IMPLEMENTED)

crontab (Configuration File) Explained

• Default location: <sinc32-path>/sinctab.stf
• Content format similar to Unix CRONTAB.
• Global extensions
  Any line in the crontab starts with #; is treated as global extension.
  1. INTERVAL=nnnn (in seconds)
     specify checking interval. It is a simply numeric number.
     e.g.
        #; INTERVAL=120
  2. LOGGING=(on|off)
     enable/disable logging to file.
  3. LOGFILE=<full_path_to_log_file>
     write log messages to specified file.
  4. EDITOR=<full_path_to_editor>
     specify editor of your choice. Full pathname required.
     e.g.
        #; EDITOR=C:\WinTools\Notepad2.exe
  In addition to what specified above, local environment variables can also be set and referenced later.
  e.g.
       #; MY_HOME_DIR=C:\WinTools
  
• Time extensions
  An extension is added to the weekday time element for individual command. Let me explain this by example,
  1. 0 1 * * 2 tuesday_task.bat
     this normal crontab entry shows that the "tuesday_task.bat" is to be run at 1:00 every Tuesday.
  2. 0 1 * * 2:2,3 tuesday_task.bat
     this crontab entry indicates that the "tuesday_task.bat" is to be run at 1:00 on the 2nd and the 3rd Tuesday.
• Command extensions
  These extensions are set by individual command. Multiple extensions can be provided, however, they follow one sinlge #;.
  1. Run-once commands are prepended with a plus (+) sign. These commands will only be executed once. If no specific value set in time and date fields, it will be executed when SINC32+ launches, otherwise, it will be executed once when time and date is matched.
     e.g.
        +* * * * * run_once_command.exe
        +* * 12 3 * run_once_command_on_next_March_12th.exe
  2. StartIn=<path-to-start-in-directory>
     specify the working directory for the command.
     e.g.
        StartIn=C:\WinTools
     for directory path that contains space(s), enclose it with double quotes (").
     e.g.
        StartIn="C:\Program Files\WinTools"
  3. StopAfter=[aW][bD][cH][d[M]]
  
  specify how long can the process be hanging around. SINC32+ will attempt to terminate the process after the specified time.
  e.g.
     StopAfter=3D6H - 3-day and 6-hour
     StopAfter=180m - 180-minute
     StopAfter=180 - default unit is minute, this means 180 minutes
  4. StartDate=yyyy/mm/dd
     specify starting date for the command. Command will only be run on and after this date.
     e.g.
        StartDate=2005/2/22
  5. EndDate=yyyy/mm/dd
     specify ending date for the command. Command will NOT run on and after this date
     e.g.
        EndDate=2005/2/22
  6. NoLog=n
     control logging for the command. No log will be written if this value is set to non-zero.
     e.g.
        NoLog=1
• Use local environment variable in command line
  Local environment variables set previously (as well as system environment variables) can be used in any command line. To reference an environment variable, it must be specified in ${NAME} format where name is the environment variable name.
  e.g.
       0 1 * * 2 ${MY_HOME_DIR}\tuesday_task.bat
  

Tricks and Tips

• For Windows98 environment, when the batch completes, the DOS window usually stays on the screen. Use COMMAND.COM to launch the batch can prevent this hang-over DOS window.

  * * * * *	c:\command.com /C run_and_exit_Win9x.bat
  

• Should someone prefer to add an entry to the Windows registry to launch Sinc32plus at start-up:

  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
  "Sinc32plus"="<disk>:\\<sinc32-path>\\sinc32.exe [command parameters such as -f]"
  

An example

# one-time program
#
+* * * * *		calc.exe

# one-time program run on next March 12th
#
+* * 12 3 *		scan c:

# pop3 spam checking (multiple times per day)
#
45 7,11,15,18,21,1,4 * * *		C:\Perl\bin\perl.exe -Id:\Usr\Pop3Smtp d:\Usr\Pop3Smtp\pop3check.pl	#; StartIn=D:\Usr\Pop3Smtp

# daily run (21:01 everyday)
#
1 21 * * *		C:\CommonBatch\_DailyRun.bat

# WebMail (11:50am 8th of every month)
#
50 11 8 * *		C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\IEXPLORE.EXE http://mail.yahoo.com

# TimeCard (11:50am Friday of 2nd & 4th week of every month)
#
50 11 * * 5:2,4		C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\IEXPLORE.EXE http://localhost/timecard.html

# TIPS: Windows98 users can use COMMAND.COM to launch the batch file to prevent the hang-over DOS window.
#
#* * * * *	c:\command.com /C run_and_exit_Win9x.bat

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