Elxis 5.2 feature requests

[seadhna]

Assuming these are not already possible (but maybe I am wrong):

1) Enable 2-step verification to login to the CMS - is that already possible? To receive a code to mobile phone for example? e.g. Google Authenticator tool?
2) Automate weekly or daily site backups - at present is this only possible manually?

[seadhna]

datahell, i just found your previous replies about 2-factor authentication (I was searching for 2-step verification) so please disregard my request about that.

[datahell]

Regarding automatic backups: It is not enabled by default but Elxis provides you with ready to use tools to do it.

The backup functionality from Elxis administration is helpful to those want to take a backup immediately or for those they dont have backup functionality by their hosting provider/server. I think all of you can take automatic backups from your server so you dont actually need this Elxis feature.

Elxis has built-in cronjobs functionality which supports user customization (and much more). To make a script run periodically just put it inside folder repository/cronjobs/ and Elxis will execute it every 10 minutes. Off course you can make the script run once per day or once per week by setting time checkers in this file.

Custom cronjob in Elxis CMS:
repository/cronjobs/anything.php (anything you put here will be executed every 10 minutes)

Inside anything.php file:
The code to take a database backup is ridiculous easy:
$sql = eFactory::getDB()->backup();
After that you must save the contents of $sql variable to a file.

Example:
$repo_path = $elxis->getConfig('REPO_PATH');
if ($repo_path == '') { $repo_path = ELXIS_PATH.'/repository'; }
$archive = $repo_path.'/backup/db_'.date('YmdHis').'.zip';
$elxis->obj('zip')->zip($archive, null, array('mydb.sql'=> $sql));

Full example with backup once per day:
<?php
$elxis = eFactory::getElxis();
$repo_path = $elxis->getConfig('REPO_PATH');
if ($repo_path == '') { $repo_path = ELXIS_PATH.'/repository'; }

if (!file_exists($repo_path.'/backup/db_'.date('Ymd').'.zip')) {
   $sql = eFactory::getDB()->backup();
   $archive = $repo_path.'/backup/db_'.date('Ymd').'.zip';
   $elxis->obj('zip')->zip($archive, null, array('mydb.sql'=> $sql));
}
?>

Full example with backup once per week (every Sunday):
<?php
if (date('w') == 0) {
   $elxis = eFactory::getElxis();
   $repo_path = $elxis->getConfig('REPO_PATH');
   if ($repo_path == '') { $repo_path = ELXIS_PATH.'/repository'; }
   if (!file_exists($repo_path.'/backup/db_'.date('Ymd').'.zip')) {
      $sql = eFactory::getDB()->backup();
      $archive = $repo_path.'/backup/db_'.date('Ymd').'.zip';
      $elxis->obj('zip')->zip($archive, null, array('mydb.sql'=> $sql));
   }
}
?>

Note 1: Be careful: Make sure that the database backup will be finished successfully. On large databases/slow servers the script might face timeout errors. In this case do not use automatic database backup.
Note 2: The above script is a sample and does not contain error checking.
Note 3: Cronjobs must be enabled in Elxis configuration (they are disabled by default)

[seadhna]

This is great! I assume I change 'repository' to the name of the repositry directory. Do I also need to change 'mydb.sql' to the name of the SQL database for the website?

[datahell]

No, dont change the "repository" name in the above code. This is ready to use code. The path to repository is provided from this code:
$repo_path = $elxis->getConfig('REPO_PATH');

If this is empty then the repository has the default name. So, the code is correct for any case.

The name of the sql file is of no importance. You can name it whatever you want.

Note: I added $elxis declaration in full examples above. ( $elxis = eFactory::getElxis(); )

[michalis1984]

Thanks for the tutorial about the cronjobs on Elxis, Datahell. I wasn't aware of this feature of Elxis. This was like an Elxis update for me. This is why Elxis is amazing. It can "update" even without update

[datahell]

Most of you you use Elxis only as a CMS, but Elxis is a framework too and has many-many tools for developers. For cronjobs I must write a tutorial to present you its full potentials. However this is why this forum exists. If you have a question just ask and you will get instructions.

A few more words regarding Cronjobs.
Elxis has 2 options: Elxis cronjobs and external cronjobs.
1. Elxis cronjobs: Elxis is a web application. It runs when you request a page. So if no one asks for a page nothing will run and not even cronjobs will be executed. Although this might sounds like a problem it is not a problem on an online site as guests, web crawlers, etc, often visit all sites. However the cronjobs will not be absolutely accurate. For instance instead of 10 minutes the time interval between 2 successive cronjobs executions might be 12 minutes. Not a problem if you want the cronjobs to be executed once per day. The more clicks your site has the more accurate Elxis cronjobs will be. If you need absolute accuracy in cronjobs execution, or you need to be executed on a very specific time you can go to option 2.
2. External cronjobs. Enable them in Elxis configuration, click apply, copy-paste the URL Elxis provides you. Go to your hosting control panel and set a cronjob to the URL Elxis gave you and set the execution time to whatever you want (eg at 03:15 every Saturday). This way you have absolutely accurate cronjobs for your Elxis without site visitors interference. Also note that in this case the "execution probability" setting has no affect. See attached screenshot.

[seadhna]

The backup script is working for me now. Thanks for this - really helpful datahell.

[seadhna]

Hi datahell,
after upgrading an installation to v5.2 - I am unable to click on other tabs in Article or Category - e.g. Parameters, Article's Body.
Wondering if anyone else has this issue.

[michalis1984]

Hi datahell,
after upgrading an installation to v5.2 - I am unable to click on other tabs in Article or Category - e.g. Parameters, Article's Body.
Wondering if anyone else has this issue.

Look here https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=9209.msg58407#msg58407

[seadhna]

Ah great, thanks.

[seadhna]

I noticed a feature in a different app that could be useful to prevent "false positives" in Elxis Defender: to be able to provide a list of IP addresses that should never be banned.

[datahell]

Already supported: Settings > Security > Excluded IPs
Makes no sense for normal users but can be useful for web services.

[seadhna]

Ah great! The reason it makes no sense for normal users is because the IP address might change?

[datahell]

Exactly. 99.9% of people's IPs are dynamic. So the IP changes each time your router is reconnected to the internet. Unless you have a static IP. In that case you always get the same IP and whitelist/blacklist IP makes sense. On the other hand web servers have always static IPs, thus this setting is mostly for web services.