Ok, so I have lots of stuff running with visual cron that I have no issues with. This one has me stumped:

I have a batch file scheduled to run. If I manually run the task from visual cron, it works without issue. If I am logged onto the server with visual cron opened and allow the scheduler to run the batch file task, it runs without issue.

If I am logged off of the server, the task fails every time.

Any ideas on this one?

I think I found my error on this and will post back to verify in 40 min when the job runs.

I think my error was with the account used to run the batch file... I didnt have it set up to run with network credentials. I made this change and will check if it fixed the issue on the next scheduled run.

It seems in theory this would be the issue considering the circumstances - (i.e. the task ran fine when i was logged in the box watching but would fail when i wasnt logged in)

nope that wasnt the issue...

any suggestions ?

Is it a foreground or background Task? What kind of Task is it?

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I have it set as foreground task. It is an executable task to run a batch file.

I just set it to background to see if it will work that way.

Yes, if you set it to foreground Task then Credentials must be OK so that the service can logon and access desktop. You will probably see in the log what happens (server log). But if you can keep it using a background Task you should do that.

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well it appears putting it into background works and fixed my issues. I still feel there are some issues with the foreground process. By all means there should have been no conflicts with the way I had the foreground set up. The built in account I had set up to be used is fine. From all the threads I have been reading it appears there are some issues with how visual cron is set up to use foreground processes and the answers I read on here are "always use background if can" which indicates the foreground process is actually broken and has flaws. Hope to see that working better in a revision.

The Foreground mode is not broken - but a lot more sensitive.

Here is the quick explanation:

Background mode

The Task is executed from the windows service VisualCron.

Foreground mode

The VisualCron service tries to unlock the desktop or login to the desktop depending on the current lock/login state. If your settings (from install) is correct the VCTray is started automatically and connects to the VisualCron service. The service tells VCTray to execute the process (in the new desktop context). VCTray reports back to the service the result.

There are many reasons Foreground execution could fail

1. if your system is setup wrong so the detection of the OS bit size goes wrong (if it is 32 or 64 bit).
2. if you are using Windows Vista and forward and have not prepared security settings described to allow unlock of desktop
3. if the Credentials used are incorrect
4. if desktop logon is too slow and the VisualCron service times out

The log file (log_serverDATE.txt) should give you a hint what is going wrong.

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