Setting Up Server-Level Cron for EventON Reminders Addon

The EventON Reminders Addon allows you to send automatic reminder emails to event guests (via RSVP or Tickets addons) before and after events. These reminders rely on WordPress’s WP-Cron system, which triggers only when your site is visited. For timely delivery on low-traffic sites, setting up a server-level cron job ensures reminders are sent precisely as scheduled. Here’s how to configure it.

Prerequisites

• EventON Reminders Addon installed and activated (compatible with RSVP and Tickets addons).
• Access to your server’s control panel (e.g., cPanel) or SSH for cron setup.
• WordPress installed and configured with EventON settings.

Why Use Server-Level Cron?

WP-Cron depends on site visits, which can delay reminders if your site has low traffic. A server-level cron job runs independently, checking and sending reminders at set intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes), ensuring reliability.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Disable WP-Cron (Optional but Recommended)

To rely solely on server cron:

• Open your WordPress site’s wp-config.php file (usually in the root directory).
• Add this line before the /* That’s all, stop editing! */ comment:
  define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);
• Save the file. This prevents WP-Cron from running on page loads, avoiding overlap with your server cron.

2. Configure the Reminders in EventON

• Go to EventON Settings > Reminders in your WordPress admin panel.
• Enable up to 2 pre-event and 2 post-event reminders.
• Set the timing (e.g., “60 minutes before event start”) and customize email content.
• For each event, edit the event page and enable reminders in the Reminders meta box. This schedules a one-time cron job (e.g., evorm_reminder_<event_id>_<type>).

3. Set Up the Server Cron Job

The cron job triggers wp-cron.php to process all scheduled tasks, including reminders.

Using cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel and find Cron Jobs.
2. Under “Add New Cron Job”:
   • Common Settings: Select “Every 5 Minutes” (*/5 * * * *) for frequent checks.
   • Command: Enter: curl -s "https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron" > /dev/null 2>&1
     • Replace https://yoursite.com with your actual site URL.
     • -s silences output, > /dev/null 2>&1 discards logs.
3. Click Add New Cron Job to save.

Using SSH

1. Access your server via SSH (e.g., ssh user@yourserver.com).
2. Open the crontab file: crontab -e
3. Add this line:
   */5 * * * * curl -s "https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron" > /dev/null 2>&1
4. Save and exit (e.g., :wq in vi).

Alternative with wget

If curl isn’t available, use:

*/5 * * * * wget -q -O /dev/null "https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron"

4. Verify the Setup

• Install a plugin like WP Crontrol or Advanced Cron Manager.
• Check the Cron Events tab for events like evorm_reminder_<event_id>_<type> (e.g., evorm_reminder_93_evorm_pre_1-rs).
• Ensure the “Next Run” time updates after each cron execution (every 5 minutes).
• Test by scheduling a reminder for a near-future event and confirming the email is sent.

Notes

• Frequency: Every 5 minutes (*/5 * * * *) is recommended for timely reminders. Adjust to hourly (0 * * * *) if less precision is needed.
• Security: Ensure wp-cron.php is accessible (file permissions typically 644).
• Troubleshooting: Check server cron logs (e.g., /var/log/cron) or enable WordPress debug logging (define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);) to trace issues.
• Dynamic Events: Each enabled reminder creates a unique cron job tied to the event ID and type (e.g., pre/post), managed by EVORM_Cron->perform_cron().