How to periodically copy a web page while my computer is off?

[Vladimirr]

Hello, everybody! I am a newbie, so my question will probably sound
silly to you. I have one task that I don’t know how to carry out – I need
to check one web page from time to time (preferably every 20
minutes) and record (=copy) its HTML code every time (the HTML
code of the page is allowed for copying) .

The problem is I can’t keep my computer on all the time, plus, I do need
to leave for work everyday. So, I guess, it should be some kind of script
that I could have run round the clock on some remote windows
server, right?

Do you have any idea how I could do it or what I should start with?

[DimaYasny]

get this:
http://www.interlog.com/~tcharron/wgetwin-1_5_3_1-binary.zip

create a batch file: testsite.bat

echo --------------- >>logfile.txt
date >>logfile.txt
time >>logfile.txt
echo --------------- >>logfile.txt
wget http://www.yoururl.com >>logfile.txt

put it in windows scheduler to run every 20 minutes

[Vladimirr]

Hello, DimaYasny!!!

Thank you very much for your help. I still have some questions:

1)
“get this:
http://www.interlog.com/~tcharron/wg...3_1-binary.zip”

I have downloaded this zip file from your link and unzipped it. To
tell you the truth, I don’t know how I should proceed next. I thought
there would be something like “install” file, but there isn’t one. So,
I guess, nothing needs to be installed here, right?

2)
“create a batch file: testsite.bat”

How do I create this batch file? Is it like I have to create a common
Notepad file and then change its extension from .txt to .bat? And
where do I place it after creating it? Into the same folder where all
the other unzipped files are?

3)
“put it in windows scheduler to run every 20 minutes”

Please explain to me how to do that?

4) Lastly, the most important question: after I have fully followed on
your instructions, will I be able to turn off my computer and be sure
that the desired task is still being carried out? I am afraid what you
are suggesting is simply creating a task on my computer that will
be carried out by itself every time I turn on my computer. Which
means that I will have to keep my computer on all the time, otherwise,
if I turn it off, the task process will also stop. Am I correct?
If yes, then this is not what I really want. Perhaps, what I
need is a web-page-html-periodically-copying script that I could
somehow place on some remote windows server that would run my
script all the time regardless of whether my computer is on or off.

[DimaYasny]

1. all you need the is wget.exe file.

2. you can use notepad and simply save the file as .bat
it has to be in the same directory where wget.exe is

3. start > control panel > scheduled tasks

4. you place this script on a server you have access to, and it will check the url and place the output in logfile.txt in the same directory.
SOME MACHINE has to be up all the time for the task to be carried out, there is no way around that.

if my instructions are not clear enough for you, I suggest you find a local IT professional, explain your situation, and pay fir his services.

[Vladimirr]

Your instructions are more than clear. Thank you very much! (I have just added to your reputation)