Implementation:Testtimescaling Testtimescaling github io GitHub Actions Cron Schedule
| Metadata | |
|---|---|
| Page Type | Implementation |
| Implementation Type | External Tool Doc |
| Domain | CI_CD, Automation |
| Namespace | Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io |
| Workflow | Automated_Citation_Tracking |
| Date Created | 2026-02-14 |
| Principle | Principle:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Scheduled_CI_Trigger |
| Knowledge Source | GitHub Actions Schedule |
Overview
This implementation configures the GitHub Actions workflow trigger using a cron schedule that runs daily at midnight UTC, with an additional manual dispatch option.
Description
The update_citations.yml workflow defines two trigger events: a scheduled cron job that fires every day at midnight UTC and a manual workflow_dispatch event that allows on-demand execution from the GitHub Actions UI. Together, these ensure that citation counts are refreshed automatically on a daily cadence while retaining the flexibility for maintainers to trigger an immediate update when needed.
The schedule event uses the cron expression "0 0 * * *", which translates to: minute 0, hour 0, every day, every month, every day of the week. The workflow_dispatch event takes no inputs and simply provides a "Run workflow" button in the GitHub Actions interface.
Usage
This trigger configuration is used at the top of the update_citations.yml workflow file. It serves as the entry point for the entire Automated Citation Tracking pipeline. No manual intervention is required for the daily schedule; the workflow_dispatch event is available for ad-hoc runs (e.g., after adding a new paper to the list).
Code Reference
Source Location
| File | .github/workflows/update_citations.yml
|
| Lines | L1-6 |
| Repository | testtimescaling.github.io |
Signature
name: Update Arxiv Citations
on:
schedule:
- cron: "0 0 * * *"
workflow_dispatch:
Import
Not applicable. This is a top-level workflow definition file. GitHub Actions automatically discovers workflow files in the .github/workflows/ directory.
Key Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
cron |
"0 0 * * *" |
Runs the workflow daily at midnight UTC (00:00) |
workflow_dispatch |
(no parameters) | Enables manual triggering from the GitHub Actions UI |
I/O Contract
Inputs
| Input | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| (none) | -- | This is a time-based trigger; no explicit inputs are required. The cron scheduler evaluates the expression against the current UTC time. |
Outputs
| Output | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow run | GitHub Actions job pipeline | Triggers the update-citations job, which includes checkout, script execution, and git commit/push steps.
|
Usage Examples
Example 1: Default daily schedule
The workflow runs automatically at midnight UTC every day. No configuration changes are needed:
on:
schedule:
- cron: "0 0 * * *"
Example 2: Manual trigger
Navigate to the repository's Actions tab in GitHub, select the "Update Arxiv Citations" workflow, and click Run workflow. This uses the workflow_dispatch event.
Example 3: Adapting the schedule to run every 6 hours
To increase the update frequency, modify the cron expression:
on:
schedule:
- cron: "0 */6 * * *"
This would run the workflow at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, and 18:00 UTC.
Related Pages
- Principle:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Scheduled_CI_Trigger
- Environment:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_GitHub_Actions_Runner
- Implementation:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Actions_Checkout_V3 -- The next step after the workflow is triggered
- Implementation:Testtimescaling_Testtimescaling_github_io_Git_Commit_Push_Workflow -- The final step that commits results