asked on

Run a VBS every 30 minutes on W2K Server

Because schtasks.exe does not run on Windows 2000 Server, and the AT command does not have this feature to allow me to schedule a vbs script to run every 30 minutes using something like:
/MO modifier
A value that refines the schedule type to allow for finer control over the schedule recurrence. Valid values are: MINUTE: 1 - 1439 minutes.

How would you recommend to have a vbs script to run every 30 minutes on a daily basis? My vbs script basically reads a log file to capture errors. It needs to run 7 days a week.
I attempted this batch job using the sleep function, but it runs a second instance only:
@echo off
:label1
cscript "D:\IVR\Utilities\ivrmonitor.vbs"
sleep 1800
goto label1

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

edster9999

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GabelstaplerfahrerKlaus

The cscript line should be preceded by CALL, I think. Give that a try.

GabelstaplerfahrerKlaus

I just tested your batch script with a second batch file as code, the Call makes it run the loop continuously. One problem though: SLEEP is not a batch command you can use.

danfiggolf

ASKER

Use call like this? So it loops - is this a good method?

@echo off
cscript "D:\IVR\Utilities\ivrmonitor.vbs"
SLEEP 1800
CALL this-same-batch-file-again.bat
EXIT

GabelstaplerfahrerKlaus

An endless loop with the TIME /T command and FINDSTR like so

time /t | findstr /c:"30" would return the string "0X:30 PM" every hour

Mike Tomlinson

"It needs to run 7 days a week...every 30 minutes on a daily basis"

Why not make the SCRIPT itself run endlessly and only do something every 30 minutes?

Dim targetTime
targetTime = DateAdd("n", 30, Now) ' 30 minutes from now

While True
    ' check every 5 seconds to see if our targetTime has been passed
    While targetTime > Now
        WScript.Sleep 5000 ' (max is 32,767 --> approx 30 seconds)
    Wend

    ' ******************************
    ' ... do your processing here...
    ' ******************************

    ' set next "event" for 30 minutes out...
    targetTime = DateAdd("n", 30, Now) ' 30 minutes from now
Wend

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wdosanjos

I believe the solution provided by edster9999 (#a34866546) is the most robust one. Does anyone see a problem with it?

danfiggolf

ASKER

@idlemind - you mean like this?

Dim targetTime
targetTime = DateAdd("n", 30, Now) ' 30 minutes from now

While True
    ' check every 5 seconds to see if our targetTime has been passed
    While targetTime > Now
        WScript.Sleep 5000 ' (max is 32,767 --> approx 30 seconds)
    Wend

    ' ******************************
    ' ... do your processing here...
    ' ******************************
    CONST strFolder = "D:\IVR\Logs\Monitor\"
	CONST ForReading = 1
	CONST ForAppending = 8

	set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
	set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

	' Create output file for report
	Set objOutput = objFSO.OpenTextfile("c:\temp\ivrFailureReport.txt", ForAppending, True)

	' Call routine to find latest file and check it for errors
	traverseDir strFolder, true, Nothing

	' Done
	objOutput.Close
	Wscript.Quit

    ' set next "event" for 30 minutes out...
    targetTime = DateAdd("n", 30, Now) ' 30 minutes from now
Wend

function traverseDir(strDir, boolSubDirs, objRecent)
    set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(strDir)
' Loop through IVR log file directory to determine most recent file
    for each objFile in objFolder.Files
        if objRecent Is Nothing then
            set objRecent = objFile
        elseif (objFile.DateCreated > objRecent.DateCreated) then
            set objRecent = objFile
            
        end if
    next
' Most recent log file has been identified
    if objRecent.Size > 0 Then
        Wscript.Echo "Done, most recent file = " & objRecent
        ' Open file
        Set objInput = objFSO.OpenTextfile(objRecent, ForReading)
        ' Read each line of input log file to locate IVR failure point.
        intCount = 0
        blnError = False
        Do Until objInput.AtEndOfStream
            strLine = objInput.ReadLine
            intCount = intCount + 1
            If (InStr(strLine, "Host Error|4") > 0) Then
             ' Write to the server's Application Event Log file for Whatsup Gold notification.
            Set WSHShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
			WshShell.LogEvent 1, "IVR Failed with Host Error 4"
                objOutput.WriteLine strLine
                blnError = True
            ElseIf (blnError = True) Then
                objOutput.WriteLine strLine
                blnError = False
            End If
       Loop
       objInput.Close
  End If     
end function

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danfiggolf

ASKER

I believe the solution provided by edster9999 (#a34866546) is the most robust one. Does anyone see a problem with it? I believe so -

SOLUTION

Mike Tomlinson

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danfiggolf

ASKER

what would be better: to have the script itself manage the task repeat OR the Windows 2000 scheduler?

Mike Tomlinson

Up to you. With the scheduler the script will run and them be completely removed from memory.

*Not that it would take up that much to begin with.

wdosanjos

I think the scheduler is a more robust approach because:

1. If the server reboots, the scheduler will automatically continue running the script;

2. If the script itself manages the task repeat and it fails for whatever reason, the process will cease to run until someone restarts it. (not the case with the scheduler)

3. The scheduler works as a Windows Service unattended (no need for a user to be logged on to the server).

I hope this helps.

Bill Prew

Definitely go the scheduler approach, much cleaner.

~bp

edster9999

Hi - danfiggolf
WHen you say 'I believe so'
Did you mean you do see a problem with it or you agree that it works ?

The duration bit is the expected run time of each loop.
You would set it to be every 30 minutes with a 5 or 10 minute duration.
You can tick to stop it if it is still running at this point so you do not get multiple copies running.