# Looking for the cron-like node/flow

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [20 July 2019 01:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495 "2019-07-20T01:46:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ded\_banzai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ded_banzai/32/13179_2.png) [@ded\_banzai](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ded_banzai)\
**Post date:** [20 July 2019 01:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/1 "2019-07-20T01:46:44Z")

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Hi! I am looking for the cron-like node.  
I need to send messages using editable playlist which works similar way as the crontab file. For example (pseudo code):  
19/07/19 21:00 {"topic":"topic1, "payload":"payload1"}  
19/07/19 21:05 {"topic":"topic2, "payload":"payload2"}  
etc...  
I will appreciate any ideas/suggestions.

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [20 July 2019 07:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/2 "2019-07-20T07:33:38Z")

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Do you mean you want those messages sent each day at that time, or what?

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**Author:** ![dynamicdave](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dynamicdave/32/96_2.png) [@dynamicdave](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dynamicdave)\
**Post date:** [20 July 2019 07:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/3 "2019-07-20T07:37:32Z")

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Have you looked at this node?  
The title suggests it might do what you're looking for.

# node-red-contrib--cron-pkjq

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**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [20 July 2019 10:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/4 "2019-07-20T10:59:15Z")

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It's a bit basic unfortunately is that node. So if you are wanting, for example, to pass the schedule dynamically as I think you do, you can't I don't think. Also, I think that it only takes a single cron line as input? So you would end up with lots of instances of the Node. You would probably be as well off with the standard trigger Node.

I think that the closest Node for what you want is

> **[node-red-contrib-later](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-later)**
>
> A node red node for triggering using later.js

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**Author:** ![ded\_banzai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ded_banzai/32/13179_2.png) [@ded\_banzai](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ded_banzai)\
**Post date:** [21 July 2019 01:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/6 "2019-07-21T01:40:14Z")

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It looks like node-red-contrib-later is exactly what I am looking for since it supports multiple schedules. Thank you very much!

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**Author:** ![ded\_banzai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ded_banzai/32/13179_2.png) [@ded\_banzai](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ded_banzai)\
**Post date:** [21 July 2019 15:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/looking-for-the-cron-like-node-flow/13495/7 "2019-07-21T15:44:46Z")

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Yes I did, thanks. It looks like its only supports one rule per node.