'Nix AT command

Just like crontab being able to perform a task in the future, at set times and dates on a regular basis, at allows a command to be performed… but instead of a regular basis, as a one off.

Could the cron node be adapted to create an at node?

thanks :slight_smile:
Jason

Welcome to the community @JasonDD!

That should not be to complicated and can see how that can be helpful for many use cases.

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Thank you Jan, for both a ridiculously speedy response and of course… n8n :smiley:

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@JasonDD I know that it is possible for configure CRON to perform a one off task like AT. Could the CRON node be configured to provide the same functionality without having to write a new node?

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Hi Tephlon.

I actually tried it, and had bookmarked this page on SO where I learned a touch more… I won’t profess to be knowledgeable in the area (at least compared to the wider Stack Overflow community) but although possible, it doesn’t seem to be advised to go that way.

However, I am no expert in this.

What I do know is the at command delivers such huge flexibility and simplicity

EG:
run this task 2 hours from now

at now + 2 hours n8n execute --file <WORKFLOW_FILE>

or run this task on a specific time on a specific day of a specific month of a specific year etc.

March 4th at 13:09 next year

at -f “n8n execute --file <WORKFLOW_FILE>” -t 202103041309

That I think the power is immense.

At the simplest level, an automated email system has been set up with scheduled emails and at the most robust… I am sure there is much more.

Ultimately if cron can do it, that’s great… but it may (and again I am no expert) will probably stick to the exec command instead to retain the functionality and flexibility of “at”

Hey @JasonDD!

You make an excellent point. There would probably be no AT command if it did not add some value or provide some unique feature. (This is the exact point that I bring up whenever people get into the Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux or Ford vs. Chev vs. Toyota arguments.) So it could very well be a very valuable node to create.

In the short term before such a node is created, could you invoke the AT command using the Execute Command node (https://n8n.io/integrations/n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand)? You should be able to replicate its functionality that way.

Thanks Tephlon,

I agree completely and that’s a great analogy with cars and OS’s etc… As I sit here with my Linux laptop in front of me, my old Mac to the left of me and a VM with Windows on it on the monitor to the right…

No one thing does everything just the way you like it

As to the execute node… That’s exactly as i’ve been using it at the moment, so I’m glad to hear I’m not a complete idiot (but unfortunately will always accept “partial idiot” as a name) so thank you :wink:

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I’m very new to the whole n8n environment and I’m at the point where I am looking at trying my hand at creating a few custom nodes. “Nodifying” the AT command might be a good one for me to try! No promises it will work well (or that I will even get to it) but we’ll see where this takes us!

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I’m extremely new and although not technically illiterate, I am no programmer.

maybe, because I am aware of technology, understand the principles of what can and can’t be delivered by a skilled and talented master of the keyboard (and C based languages), that I seem to have fallen in love with 1stly flow based programming and now seem to have found my soul mate… N8N…

But just as my 1st wife will attest, (and probably my 2nd, but hopefully not the 3rd) … we can love something and someone, but the small issues niggle away at you… :slight_smile:)

The power and wonder of both open code and the community around it, is we can all dive in.

I may not be able to help on the literal bashing of the keyboard to make this happen, but if you take this on, I can promise admiration and a weird kind of geeky love and respect from afar.

Tephlon, thank you… and I hope it goes well for you if you do, and if there is anything I can do to assist; please shout… although you may have to holler pretty damn loudly as I suspect I am a continent east from you (*based on the car manufacturers above) but if I do manage to hear you… and Covid has allowed us all to travel again… please know I’d be there at 3am delivering hot strong coffee along with encouraging words to keep you going :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Thank you and good luck mate

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I can identify with the “I’m no programmer” comment. I have made a career in the IT industry over the last 25 years by following the carpe diem mentality. (I like to say carpe diem because it sounds so much better than, “I’m too stupid to know what I can’t do so I’ll try anything…with gusto!” :smile:) But my focus has been on hardware, networks, operating system & security…often with an open source twist (oh, have I also mentioned that I can be super cheap?! :money_mouth_face:)

And, to confirm your suspicions, I am from Canada :canada:…sorry (I’m required by Canadian law to say that! :smile:).

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eh?

All joking aside, I truly believe Canada is the great country in all of the Americas… as long as we leave out Quebec ← Again, I jest… I love Montreal, but feel much happier when I make it back to the prairies of Saskatchewan or where my heart truly is (although only in small doses) of Ch’ ron no

Go Leafs!!

OK back to work for me… Viva La Commonwealth and all that kind of thing chaps :slight_smile: