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From: childofthe1980s on 29 Apr 2010 07:59
You guys are missing the point.

Again, the macros run successfully in my tests. When I let them run at
their regularly scheduled time slots, they do not run.

It's not that the macros themselves don't work. It's something wrong with
the scheduled tasks, on a network level. The question is "What?".

childofthe1980s

"DaveMills" wrote:

> As Pegasus said you need to show us the macros. This sort of issue is often
> because the macro is dependant on things like mapped drives. It may be prompting
> for input etc.
>
> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:48:01 -0700, childofthe1980s
> <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >The status is "Running", but here's the thing. (And, I wish that I had
> >mentioned this in the beginning but I just forgot.)
> >
> >Since discovering this problem, I conducted some tests. These macros are
> >scheduled to run at 5AM. So, in several tests, I changed the run time to a
> >few minutes "from now". Then, instead of logging off, I hit the "X" in the
> >Remote Desktop connection.
> >
> >Then, a few minutes later, I log back on to the Remote Desktop connection.
> >The macros finish successfully!
> >
> >So, how come these macros run successfully when I test at random, but not
> >when they run at 5AM on their own?
> >
> >That's why I asked the client if this admin user somehow is getting logged
> >off. Again, I keep the ID logged on when I hit the "X" in Remote Desktop.
> >She says that the ID is staying logged on, but I'm not so sure.
> >
> >What do you think?
> >
> >"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> message news:436D04D1-E1E4-47EB-B787-14F6D49622C6(a)microsoft.com...
> >> > Hello:
> >> >
> >> > About a year ago, I successfully programmed Windows Task Scheduler in 2003
> >> > to run three macros. Each of the three macros takes less than five
> >> > minutes
> >> > to run.
> >> >
> >> > About a month ago, the macros stopped working. Each AM, when I check on
> >> > their status, they still say "Running". The text report that the macros
> >> > generate to a shared folder, however, are no longer there.
> >> >
> >> > I have the Admin login logged onto the server. That is a requirement for
> >> > automateed macros. The client says that there is nothing that is logging
> >> > off
> >> > the admin.
> >> >
> >> > Is there any good reason why the Task Scheduler macros would stop working
> >> > like this?
> >> >
> >> > childofthe1980s
> >>
> >> Can't tell unless you post the macros. You need to be aware that most if not
> >> all macros are fragile. They rely on a certain environment (rather than
> >> creating their own environment) and if this environment changes slightly
> >> then they will fail. Humans will readily adapt to such changes but macros
> >> can't. Using properly written scripts would give you a far more robust
> >> solution and probably one that is a lot faster than a macro.
> >>
> >> .
> >>
> --
> Dave Mills
> There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.
> .
>
From: David Kerber on 29 Apr 2010 08:25
In article <DAEF8979-2739-4CA6-BEDA-555ED3B17279(a)microsoft.com>,
childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com says...
>
> You guys are missing the point.
>
> Again, the macros run successfully in my tests. When I let them run at
> their regularly scheduled time slots, they do not run.
>
> It's not that the macros themselves don't work. It's something wrong with
> the scheduled tasks, on a network level. The question is "What?".

We won't know until we see the macros. There's probably something
different at 5:00 AM that is different from when you're there. Maybe a
network drive connection has timed out. Maybe somebody has shutdown a
server that used to be on 24x7. Maybe another machine it tries to read
has gone to sleep. Etc...

D
From: Pegasus [MVP] on 29 Apr 2010 10:34
I have dealt with a great many posts on scheduled tasks. Here is a summary
of what I found so far:
- About 80% of all posters believe that the task does not run when in fact
it does.
- The vast majority is not aware how to monitor a scheduled task.
- Some 50% of all tasks fail because of account/password/permission issues.
- Many tasks fail because the poster makes invalid assumptions about the
environment in which the task runs.

I do not know which class your task belongs to but I am pretty sure it is
one of the above. I also note your pronounced reluctance to post any details
about your task. Until you do you are unlikely to get any good replies.

"childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:DAEF8979-2739-4CA6-BEDA-555ED3B17279(a)microsoft.com...
> You guys are missing the point.
>
> Again, the macros run successfully in my tests. When I let them run at
> their regularly scheduled time slots, they do not run.
>
> It's not that the macros themselves don't work. It's something wrong with
> the scheduled tasks, on a network level. The question is "What?".
>
> childofthe1980s
>
> "DaveMills" wrote:
>
>> As Pegasus said you need to show us the macros. This sort of issue is
>> often
>> because the macro is dependant on things like mapped drives. It may be
>> prompting
>> for input etc.
>>
>> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:48:01 -0700, childofthe1980s
>> <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> >The status is "Running", but here's the thing. (And, I wish that I had
>> >mentioned this in the beginning but I just forgot.)
>> >
>> >Since discovering this problem, I conducted some tests. These macros
>> >are
>> >scheduled to run at 5AM. So, in several tests, I changed the run time
>> >to a
>> >few minutes "from now". Then, instead of logging off, I hit the "X" in
>> >the
>> >Remote Desktop connection.
>> >
>> >Then, a few minutes later, I log back on to the Remote Desktop
>> >connection.
>> >The macros finish successfully!
>> >
>> >So, how come these macros run successfully when I test at random, but
>> >not
>> >when they run at 5AM on their own?
>> >
>> >That's why I asked the client if this admin user somehow is getting
>> >logged
>> >off. Again, I keep the ID logged on when I hit the "X" in Remote
>> >Desktop.
>> >She says that the ID is staying logged on, but I'm not so sure.
>> >
>> >What do you think?
>> >
>> >"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> message news:436D04D1-E1E4-47EB-B787-14F6D49622C6(a)microsoft.com...
>> >> > Hello:
>> >> >
>> >> > About a year ago, I successfully programmed Windows Task Scheduler
>> >> > in 2003
>> >> > to run three macros. Each of the three macros takes less than five
>> >> > minutes
>> >> > to run.
>> >> >
>> >> > About a month ago, the macros stopped working. Each AM, when I
>> >> > check on
>> >> > their status, they still say "Running". The text report that the
>> >> > macros
>> >> > generate to a shared folder, however, are no longer there.
>> >> >
>> >> > I have the Admin login logged onto the server. That is a
>> >> > requirement for
>> >> > automateed macros. The client says that there is nothing that is
>> >> > logging
>> >> > off
>> >> > the admin.
>> >> >
>> >> > Is there any good reason why the Task Scheduler macros would stop
>> >> > working
>> >> > like this?
>> >> >
>> >> > childofthe1980s
>> >>
>> >> Can't tell unless you post the macros. You need to be aware that most
>> >> if not
>> >> all macros are fragile. They rely on a certain environment (rather
>> >> than
>> >> creating their own environment) and if this environment changes
>> >> slightly
>> >> then they will fail. Humans will readily adapt to such changes but
>> >> macros
>> >> can't. Using properly written scripts would give you a far more robust
>> >> solution and probably one that is a lot faster than a macro.
>> >>
>> >> .
>> >>
>> --
>> Dave Mills
>> There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that
>> don't.
>> .
>>
From: childofthe1980s on 29 Apr 2010 16:39
Hmm........Interesting theory, Pegasus. Why is it then that, when I went on
another message board a little while ago, I got some good responses simply by
using the same background as what I gave here?

childofthe1980s

"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:

> I have dealt with a great many posts on scheduled tasks. Here is a summary
> of what I found so far:
> - About 80% of all posters believe that the task does not run when in fact
> it does.
> - The vast majority is not aware how to monitor a scheduled task.
> - Some 50% of all tasks fail because of account/password/permission issues.
> - Many tasks fail because the poster makes invalid assumptions about the
> environment in which the task runs.
>
> I do not know which class your task belongs to but I am pretty sure it is
> one of the above. I also note your pronounced reluctance to post any details
> about your task. Until you do you are unlikely to get any good replies.
>
> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:DAEF8979-2739-4CA6-BEDA-555ED3B17279(a)microsoft.com...
> > You guys are missing the point.
> >
> > Again, the macros run successfully in my tests. When I let them run at
> > their regularly scheduled time slots, they do not run.
> >
> > It's not that the macros themselves don't work. It's something wrong with
> > the scheduled tasks, on a network level. The question is "What?".
> >
> > childofthe1980s
> >
> > "DaveMills" wrote:
> >
> >> As Pegasus said you need to show us the macros. This sort of issue is
> >> often
> >> because the macro is dependant on things like mapped drives. It may be
> >> prompting
> >> for input etc.
> >>
> >> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:48:01 -0700, childofthe1980s
> >> <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >The status is "Running", but here's the thing. (And, I wish that I had
> >> >mentioned this in the beginning but I just forgot.)
> >> >
> >> >Since discovering this problem, I conducted some tests. These macros
> >> >are
> >> >scheduled to run at 5AM. So, in several tests, I changed the run time
> >> >to a
> >> >few minutes "from now". Then, instead of logging off, I hit the "X" in
> >> >the
> >> >Remote Desktop connection.
> >> >
> >> >Then, a few minutes later, I log back on to the Remote Desktop
> >> >connection.
> >> >The macros finish successfully!
> >> >
> >> >So, how come these macros run successfully when I test at random, but
> >> >not
> >> >when they run at 5AM on their own?
> >> >
> >> >That's why I asked the client if this admin user somehow is getting
> >> >logged
> >> >off. Again, I keep the ID logged on when I hit the "X" in Remote
> >> >Desktop.
> >> >She says that the ID is staying logged on, but I'm not so sure.
> >> >
> >> >What do you think?
> >> >
> >> >"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> >> message news:436D04D1-E1E4-47EB-B787-14F6D49622C6(a)microsoft.com...
> >> >> > Hello:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > About a year ago, I successfully programmed Windows Task Scheduler
> >> >> > in 2003
> >> >> > to run three macros. Each of the three macros takes less than five
> >> >> > minutes
> >> >> > to run.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > About a month ago, the macros stopped working. Each AM, when I
> >> >> > check on
> >> >> > their status, they still say "Running". The text report that the
> >> >> > macros
> >> >> > generate to a shared folder, however, are no longer there.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I have the Admin login logged onto the server. That is a
> >> >> > requirement for
> >> >> > automateed macros. The client says that there is nothing that is
> >> >> > logging
> >> >> > off
> >> >> > the admin.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Is there any good reason why the Task Scheduler macros would stop
> >> >> > working
> >> >> > like this?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > childofthe1980s
> >> >>
> >> >> Can't tell unless you post the macros. You need to be aware that most
> >> >> if not
> >> >> all macros are fragile. They rely on a certain environment (rather
> >> >> than
> >> >> creating their own environment) and if this environment changes
> >> >> slightly
> >> >> then they will fail. Humans will readily adapt to such changes but
> >> >> macros
> >> >> can't. Using properly written scripts would give you a far more robust
> >> >> solution and probably one that is a lot faster than a macro.
> >> >>
> >> >> .
> >> >>
> >> --
> >> Dave Mills
> >> There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that
> >> don't.
> >> .
> >>
> .
>
From: Pegasus [MVP] on 29 Apr 2010 16:48
That's fine by me and I hope that it solved your problem. Care to post the
solution for the benefit of other posters with a similar problem?

"childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:58A41891-0BB2-4BEE-9ACF-455228C3E093(a)microsoft.com...
> Hmm........Interesting theory, Pegasus. Why is it then that, when I went
> on
> another message board a little while ago, I got some good responses simply
> by
> using the same background as what I gave here?
>
> childofthe1980s
>
> "Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> I have dealt with a great many posts on scheduled tasks. Here is a
>> summary
>> of what I found so far:
>> - About 80% of all posters believe that the task does not run when in
>> fact
>> it does.
>> - The vast majority is not aware how to monitor a scheduled task.
>> - Some 50% of all tasks fail because of account/password/permission
>> issues.
>> - Many tasks fail because the poster makes invalid assumptions about the
>> environment in which the task runs.
>>
>> I do not know which class your task belongs to but I am pretty sure it is
>> one of the above. I also note your pronounced reluctance to post any
>> details
>> about your task. Until you do you are unlikely to get any good replies.
>>
>> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message news:DAEF8979-2739-4CA6-BEDA-555ED3B17279(a)microsoft.com...
>> > You guys are missing the point.
>> >
>> > Again, the macros run successfully in my tests. When I let them run at
>> > their regularly scheduled time slots, they do not run.
>> >
>> > It's not that the macros themselves don't work. It's something wrong
>> > with
>> > the scheduled tasks, on a network level. The question is "What?".
>> >
>> > childofthe1980s
>> >
>> > "DaveMills" wrote:
>> >
>> >> As Pegasus said you need to show us the macros. This sort of issue is
>> >> often
>> >> because the macro is dependant on things like mapped drives. It may be
>> >> prompting
>> >> for input etc.
>> >>
>> >> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:48:01 -0700, childofthe1980s
>> >> <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >The status is "Running", but here's the thing. (And, I wish that I
>> >> >had
>> >> >mentioned this in the beginning but I just forgot.)
>> >> >
>> >> >Since discovering this problem, I conducted some tests. These macros
>> >> >are
>> >> >scheduled to run at 5AM. So, in several tests, I changed the run
>> >> >time
>> >> >to a
>> >> >few minutes "from now". Then, instead of logging off, I hit the "X"
>> >> >in
>> >> >the
>> >> >Remote Desktop connection.
>> >> >
>> >> >Then, a few minutes later, I log back on to the Remote Desktop
>> >> >connection.
>> >> >The macros finish successfully!
>> >> >
>> >> >So, how come these macros run successfully when I test at random, but
>> >> >not
>> >> >when they run at 5AM on their own?
>> >> >
>> >> >That's why I asked the client if this admin user somehow is getting
>> >> >logged
>> >> >off. Again, I keep the ID logged on when I hit the "X" in Remote
>> >> >Desktop.
>> >> >She says that the ID is staying logged on, but I'm not so sure.
>> >> >
>> >> >What do you think?
>> >> >
>> >> >"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "childofthe1980s" <childofthe1980s(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> message news:436D04D1-E1E4-47EB-B787-14F6D49622C6(a)microsoft.com...
>> >> >> > Hello:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > About a year ago, I successfully programmed Windows Task
>> >> >> > Scheduler
>> >> >> > in 2003
>> >> >> > to run three macros. Each of the three macros takes less than
>> >> >> > five
>> >> >> > minutes
>> >> >> > to run.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > About a month ago, the macros stopped working. Each AM, when I
>> >> >> > check on
>> >> >> > their status, they still say "Running". The text report that the
>> >> >> > macros
>> >> >> > generate to a shared folder, however, are no longer there.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > I have the Admin login logged onto the server. That is a
>> >> >> > requirement for
>> >> >> > automateed macros. The client says that there is nothing that is
>> >> >> > logging
>> >> >> > off
>> >> >> > the admin.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Is there any good reason why the Task Scheduler macros would stop
>> >> >> > working
>> >> >> > like this?
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > childofthe1980s
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Can't tell unless you post the macros. You need to be aware that
>> >> >> most
>> >> >> if not
>> >> >> all macros are fragile. They rely on a certain environment (rather
>> >> >> than
>> >> >> creating their own environment) and if this environment changes
>> >> >> slightly
>> >> >> then they will fail. Humans will readily adapt to such changes but
>> >> >> macros
>> >> >> can't. Using properly written scripts would give you a far more
>> >> >> robust
>> >> >> solution and probably one that is a lot faster than a macro.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> .
>> >> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Dave Mills
>> >> There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those
>> >> that
>> >> don't.
>> >> .
>> >>
>> .
>>
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