pfSense

Oddly enough I can't seem to reproduce this, at least on 2.4.

I suspect adding this just after the install_cron_job call would help:

parse_config(true);

install_cron_job() could probably use an optional parameter that skips the config write for problem cases.

I reproduced this on multiple 2.3.3 boxes.Anything but */$minutes * * * * causes the issue. E.g., tried just changing the hour there to * */$hours * * * - did not work either.

WTF really.

There may yet be a problem with install_cron_job() doing a write the way it does, but the squid problem appears to be from something else and this was compounding the problem: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=124218.msg686442#msg686442

The squid issue seems indeed fixed by nuking the <custom_add_php_command> tag. Still would seem desirable to let just one instance of the resync code to run here, otherwise completely whacky behaviour happens.

I don't see anything in the base system that would be affected by removing the write_config() from install_cron_job(). There are many more uses in packages that are not quite so clear.

I'll refactor the function a bit and add a parameter to skip the write for now. Once that is in place we can check the packages over time. Once all of the uses of the function have been determined to not need the write, it can be completely removed.

Thanks for looking into this. Meanwhile, I did https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-ports/pull/261 since it's generally not desirable to resync the Squid config twice for no good reason (already slow enough even when run once).

Saw that, just merged+cherry-picked it all around.

FYI: Uses of install_cron_job in packages:

net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:    install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:    install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", true, "*/2");
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", true, "*/120");
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:    install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:    install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", true, "*/2");
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/usr/local/etc/rc.d/haproxy.sh onecheck", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", true, "*/120");
net/pfSense-pkg-haproxy-devel/files/usr/local/pkg/haproxy/haproxy.inc:            install_cron_job("/etc/rc.haproxy_ocsp.sh", false);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.inc:                install_cron_job('pfblockerng.php cron', false);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.inc:            install_cron_job($pfb_cmd, true, $pfb['min'], $pfb_hour, $pfb_mday, $pfb_month, $pfb_wday, $pfb_who);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.inc:        install_cron_job('pfblockerng.php cron', false);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.inc:            install_cron_job($pfb_gcmd, true, $pfb_gmin, $pfb_ghour, $pfb_gmday, $pfb_gmonth, $pfb_gwday, $pfb_gwho);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.inc:        install_cron_job('pfblockerng.php dcc', false);
net/pfSense-pkg-pfBlockerNG/files/usr/local/pkg/pfblockerng/pfblockerng_install.inc:install_cron_job('pfblockerng.php dc >>', false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:            install_cron_job("snort_check_cron_misc.inc", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:    install_cron_job("snort_check_cron_misc.inc", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:    install_cron_job("/usr/bin/nice -n20 /usr/local/bin/php -f /usr/local/pkg/snort/snort_check_cron_misc.inc", $should_install, "*/5");
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:            install_cron_job("snort2c", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:        install_cron_job("snort2c", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:        install_cron_job($command, true, $snort_rm_blocked_min, $snort_rm_blocked_hr, $snort_rm_blocked_mday, $snort_rm_blocked_month, $snort_rm_blocked_wday, "root");
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:            install_cron_job("snort_check_for_rule_updates.php", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:        install_cron_job("snort_check_for_rule_updates.php", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-snort/files/usr/local/pkg/snort/snort.inc:        install_cron_job($command, $should_install, $snort_rules_up_min, $snort_rules_up_hr, $snort_rules_up_mday, $snort_rules_up_month, $snort_rules_up_wday, "root");
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:            install_cron_job("suricata_check_for_rule_updates.php", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job("suricata_check_for_rule_updates.php", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job($command, $should_install, $suricata_rules_up_min, $suricata_rules_up_hr, $suricata_rules_up_mday, $suricata_rules_up_month, $suricata_rules_up_wday, "root");
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:            install_cron_job("suricata_check_cron_misc.inc", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job("suricata_check_cron_misc.inc", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job("/usr/bin/nice -n20 /usr/local/bin/php-cgi -f /usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata_check_cron_misc.inc", $should_install, "*/5");
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:            install_cron_job("{$suri_pf_table}", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job("{$suri_pf_table}", false);
security/pfSense-pkg-suricata/files/usr/local/pkg/suricata/suricata.inc:    install_cron_job($command, $should_install, $suricata_rm_blocked_min, $suricata_rm_blocked_hr, $suricata_rm_blocked_mday, $suricata_rm_blocked_month, $suricata_rm_blocked_wday, "root");
sysutils/pfSense-pkg-Service_Watchdog/files/usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog.inc:        install_cron_job("/usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog_cron.php", true, "*/1");
sysutils/pfSense-pkg-Service_Watchdog/files/usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog.inc:        install_cron_job("/usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog_cron.php", false, "*/1");
sysutils/pfSense-pkg-syslog-ng/files/usr/local/pkg/syslog-ng.inc:    install_cron_job("${crontask}", true, "0");
sysutils/pfSense-pkg-syslog-ng/files/usr/local/pkg/syslog-ng.inc:    install_cron_job("${crontask}", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:        install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_today, false);
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:        install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_yesterday, false);
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:            install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_today, $on, $opt[0], $opt[1], $opt[2], $opt[3], $opt[4], $opt[5]);
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:            install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_yesterday, true, "15", "0", "*", "*", "*", "root");
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:        install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_today, false);
www/pfSense-pkg-Lightsquid/files/usr/local/pkg/lightsquid.inc:        install_cron_job($lightsquid_parser_yesterday, false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:        install_cron_job("{$cron_cmd}", $should_install, "0", "0", "*", "*", "*", "root");
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:        install_cron_job("{$swapstate_cmd}", $should_install, "15", "0", "*", "*", "*", "root");
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:        install_cron_job("{$cron_cmd}", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:        install_cron_job("{$swapstate_cmd}", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:    install_cron_job("/usr/local/pkg/swapstate_check.php clean;", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid.inc:    install_cron_job("/bin/rm /var/squid/cache/swap.state;", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid_antivirus.inc:            install_cron_job("{$freshclam_cmd}", true, "{$minutes}", "*/{$hours}", "*", "*", "*", "clamav");
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid_antivirus.inc:            install_cron_job("{$freshclam_cmd}", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squid/files/usr/local/pkg/squid_antivirus.inc:        install_cron_job("{$freshclam_cmd}", false);
www/pfSense-pkg-squidGuard/files/usr/local/pkg/squidguard_configurator.inc:        install_cron_job("{$cron_cmd}", true, "0", "0", "*", "*", "*", "root");
www/pfSense-pkg-squidGuard/files/usr/local/pkg/squidguard_configurator.inc:        install_cron_job("{$cron_cmd}", false);

And many of those are wrapped in some other function that handles the cron job which is called from elsewhere in the package... Probably a lot there that could be handled better.