{"id":11486,"date":"2022-11-22T07:29:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T15:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/?p=11486"},"modified":"2022-11-22T07:29:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T15:29:29","slug":"run-script-service-periodically","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/alwaysup\/run-script-service-periodically\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: How do I Run my Script as a Windows Service — but only during Working Hours?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How<\/div>\n
\n  I recently bought a license for AlwaysUp<\/a>. I used it to install several scripts as Windows Services.<\/p>\n

Most of my scripts run one time per day, and those are fine. But I have others that must run every 30 minutes — between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday to Friday. How do I get my scripts to work like that in AlwaysUp?<\/p>\n

— Jasaf<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hi Jasaf.<\/p>\n

There are a couple of steps you should take run your scripts exactly when you want to.<\/p>\n

1. Configure AlwaysUp to run your script every 30 minutes<\/h2>\n

By default, AlwaysUp runs your script 24\/7, launching it at boot and quickly restarting it whenever it stops. But that’s clearly not what you want.<\/p>\n

To run your script every 30 minutes, on the hour and half-hour:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Edit your script in AlwaysUp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Switch to the Restart<\/b> tab. These settings determine what AlwaysUp does after your script exits.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Since you don’t want to restart your script immediately after it completes, select the Not immediately<\/b> option.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Choose On the next hour and half-hour<\/b>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Check Minimize event logging as the application stops & restarts<\/b>. That option tells AlwaysUp that frequent stops and starts are normal and shouldn’t cause panic. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  6. \n

    Save your changes.<\/p>\n

    \"Set<\/a><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    At this point, you should test your AlwaysUp entry and confirm that it behaves correctly. Once started, the script should run at the top and the bottom of the hour.<\/p>\n

    For example, we set up a batch file service as above. After an initial run, the state switched to “Waiting”. And clicking the clock icon showed AlwaysUp holding off until 3:30 for the next run (as expected):<\/p>\n

    \"AlwaysUp<\/a><\/div>\n

    2. Use Service Scheduler to control when your AlwaysUp service runs<\/h2>\n

    So your script is now set to run every half-hour. Great! However, AlwaysUp will run it all day, every day — weekends included.<\/p>\n

    To make sure that your script runs only Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 7 PM:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Download our free Service Scheduler<\/a> utility. (You can setup the Windows Task Scheduler<\/a> instead, but Service Scheduler is much easier to use.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    2. \n

      Start Service Scheduler.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    3. \n

      Select Service Task > New<\/b> from the menu.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    4. \n

      Configure the Add Service Task<\/b> window to start your AlwaysUp-created service every weekday at 8 AM. The window should look like this:<\/p>\n

    5. \n

      Click Save<\/b> to create the new service task.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    6. \n

      Finally, create another service task that stops the same service every weekday at 7 PM:<\/p>\n

    7. \n

      You should end up with a couple of tasks in Service Scheduler:<\/p>\n

      \"AlwaysUp<\/a><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \nAnd that’s it. Going forward, AlwaysUp will run your script every 30 minutes, but only on weekdays between 8 AM and 7 PM.\n<\/p>\n

      Enjoy!<\/p>\n