I want this cron job to run everyday at 5:30pm

mysqldump -h mydomainip -u myusername -mypassword --add-drop-table -n --databases mydatabasefile > /var/www/vhosts/mydomain/database060721_1324.sql

The name of the file is stamped with the date and time (if there is an easier way of doing this, then please utilize it). Each file will have it's own unique name. The name will be based on the date and time. Currently my file contains the last two digits of the current year(see above) - 06 the year, the month 07, and the date - 21. There is an underscore then the time 1324 military time (or 1:34pm).

Can anyone please assist?

this could work although i have not tested it

30 17 * * * mysqldump -h mydomainip -u myusername -mypassword --add-drop-table -n --databases mydatabasefile >"/var/www/vhosts/mydomain/database$(date +%g%m%d_%H%M).sql"

note: try to give your questions a meaningful subjects next time

-- joe

Do I leave in the quotes?

yes, should work as it is.

Does not appear to work.

I am under my username in Plesk

Under Crontab

Under Task (I believe this will run every 15 minutes between 9am and 5 pm)

Minute */15
Hour 9-17
Day of the Month *
Month *
Command: mysqldump -h mydomainip -u myusername -mypassword --add-drop-table -n --databases mydatabasefile >"/var/www/vhosts/mydomain/Mydat$(date +%g%m%d_%H%M).sql"

Note: Mydat is the name I replaced database with. I assumed it does not need database in the file name.

be sure crond is running (i recommend restarting cron service). you could also put the commandline into a script and then calling it from cron like this: /path/to/script/script >/home/plesk/script.out 2>/home/plesk/script.err. this way you can check if the script went fine. grepping syslog may be also helpful.

cheers,

-- joe