this is the error message i got:<br /> [] Can't locate /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/languages/english.pl at w3t.pm line 40.<br />Compilation failed--compilation aborted at doexpire.pl line 22. [/] <br /><br />this is turning into a nitemare! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

So fix the path on line 40 of w3t.pm.

and wtf is that??

It's a file in the /cron/perl folder.<br /><br />You need to edit the paths inside. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

aha, ta! <br />this is the line it's referring to:<br /> [] require "$config{'path'}/languages/$config{'language'}.pl"; [/] <br /><br />so what is it exactly i add? and where to? in the {'path'} section?

Just put in the path for the file that it's looking for. I think it would be:<br /><br />require '/usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/perl/languages/english.pl';

You also will probably need to edit w3tvars.pm<br /><br />There are a bunch of settings in there.... like the url this will need, database name, password, table prefix etc... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

ok, next hiccup.<br />I amended the w3t.pm and w3tvrs.pm and then tried to run perl doexpire.pl again.<br />I got a different error message this time, and I dont know what it means.<br /> [] Barewod found where operator expected at w3t.pm line 40, near /etc/httpd" (Missing operator before httpd?)<br />syntax error at w3t.pm line 40, near "/etc/httpd"<br />Compilation failed--compilation aborted at doexpire.pl line 22[/] <br /><br />This is the line I amended, I think correctly, but possibly not<br /> [] require "$config{usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/perl/languages/english.pl}/languages/$config{'language'}.pl";<br /> [/]

I think it should be:<br /><br />require "/usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/perl/languages/$config{'language'}.pl";<br />

See my post above. I specified the correct syntax for the "require". Don't bother using the $config stuff in the path here. You're just trying to get the thing to run. If you get that far, then you can worry about cleaning it up.

okey dokey, i done that and i've still got the same error message.<br />just to confirm, this is the line in my w3t.pm file.<br /><br /> [] require '/usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/perl/languages/english.pl';<br />[/]

By "same error", you mean you're still getting "Can't locate /.../english.pl at w3t.pm line 40." ? If so, are you sure that's the correct path to english.pl?

correct and correct dave<br />i've taken 2 screenshots so you can see exactly whats going on.<br /> []http://www.fordmondeo.org/monkeyra/telnet1.jpg[/] <br /> []http://www.fordmondeo.org/monkeyra/telnet2.jpg[/] <br /><br />BTW, the www is just a shortcut link to the full address.

Virtual FreeBSD ..... hmmmmm <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /><br /><br />I used to use a similar server, and I remember the paths being kind of weird, and I had play around a bit to figure out what paths to use from cron.<br /><br />1) When you're in the directory that contains english.pl, what's the output if you type "pwd"?<br /><br />2) What happens if you type "virtual perl -v" ?<br /><br />

aha!<br />I get a different path!<br />/usr/home/nickjenk/usr/local/etc/httpd/ubbthreads/cron/perl/languages<br /><br />when i type virtual perl -v it comes up <br />"This is perl, v5.6.1 built for i386-freebsd yadda yadda yadda....."

i amended the path to the new one, and i got a new error!<br /> []http://www.fordmondeo.org/monkeyra/telnet3.jpg[/]

That means that you don't have the Perl DBI (database interface) module installed. That module is needed for accessing a MySQL database from Perl. (I don't have that module installed either, so I can't use Perl for MySQL stuff.)<br /><br />Your choices:<br /><br />1) Install the DBI.pm module from CPAN.org.<br /><br />2) Install PHP as a static binary.<br /><br />3) Give up. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

lol!!<br />thanks dave. i'll have a look at installing those 2moro (maybe, lack of enthusiasm!)

Another thought. I haven't tried this, but you might be able to run the PHP version doexpire.php from your browser. Running it occassionally (e.g., once a week) might be easier than trying to get the cron stuff working. Assuming it works, you might want to password-protect the threads cron directory, so that not everyone can run it.

ok, i gave it a go.<br /> [] Fatal error: Failed opening required 'path/to/ubbthreads/main.inc.php' (include_path='.:') in /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/ubbthreads/cron/php/doexpire.php on line 22<br /> [/]