Daily Trigger Example (C++)
This C++ example shows how to create a task that is scheduled to execute Notepad on a daily basis. The task contains a daily trigger that specifies a start boundary and a day interval for the task to start. The example also shows how to set a repetition pattern for the trigger to repeat the task. The task also contains an action that specifies the task to execute Notepad.
The following procedure describes how to schedule a task to start an executable on a daily basis.
To schedule Notepad to start on a daily basis
Initialize COM and set general COM security.
Create the ITaskService object.
This object allows you to create tasks in a specified folder.
Get a task folder to create a task in.
Use the ITaskService::GetFolder method to get the folder, and the ITaskService::NewTask method to create the ITaskDefinition object.
Define information about the task using the ITaskDefinition object, such as the registration information for the task.
Use the RegistrationInfo property of ITaskDefinition and other properties of the ITaskDefinition interface to define the task information.
Create a daily trigger using the Triggers property of ITaskDefinition to access the ITriggerCollection interface for the task.
Use the ITriggerCollection::Create method to specify that you want to create a daily trigger. You can set the start boundary and the days interval for the trigger so that the task's actions will be scheduled to execute at a specified time on certain days. The example also shows how to set a repetition pattern for the trigger to repeat the task.
Create an action for the task to execute by using the Actions property of ITaskDefinition to access the IActionCollection interface for the task.
Use the IActionCollection::Create method to specify the type of action that you want to create. This example uses an IExecAction object, which represents an action that executes a command-line operation.
Register the task using the ITaskFolder::RegisterTaskDefinition method.
The following C++ example shows how to schedule a task to execute Notepad on a daily basis.
/********************************************************************
This sample schedules a task to start on a daily basis.
********************************************************************/
#define _WIN32_DCOM
#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <comdef.h>
#include <wincred.h>
// Include the task header file.
#include <taskschd.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "taskschd.lib")
#pragma comment(lib, "comsupp.lib")
#pragma comment(lib, "credui.lib")
using namespace std;
int __cdecl wmain()
{
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Initialize COM.
HRESULT hr = CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCoInitializeEx failed: %x", hr );
return 1;
}
// Set general COM security levels.
hr = CoInitializeSecurity(
NULL,
-1,
NULL,
NULL,
RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_PKT_PRIVACY,
RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_IMPERSONATE,
NULL,
0,
NULL);
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCoInitializeSecurity failed: %x", hr );
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Create a name for the task.
LPCWSTR wszTaskName = L"Daily Trigger Test Task";
// Get the windows directory and set the path to notepad.exe.
wstring wstrExecutablePath = _wgetenv( L"WINDIR");
wstrExecutablePath += L"\\SYSTEM32\\NOTEPAD.EXE";
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Create an instance of the Task Service.
ITaskService *pService = NULL;
hr = CoCreateInstance( CLSID_TaskScheduler,
NULL,
CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER,
IID_ITaskService,
(void**)&pService );
if (FAILED(hr))
{
printf("Failed to create an instance of ITaskService: %x", hr);
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// Connect to the task service.
hr = pService->Connect(_variant_t(), _variant_t(),
_variant_t(), _variant_t());
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("ITaskService::Connect failed: %x", hr );
pService->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Get the pointer to the root task folder. This folder will hold the
// new task that is registered.
ITaskFolder *pRootFolder = NULL;
hr = pService->GetFolder( _bstr_t( L"\\") , &pRootFolder );
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("Cannot get Root Folder pointer: %x", hr );
pService->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// If the same task exists, remove it.
pRootFolder->DeleteTask( _bstr_t( wszTaskName), 0 );
// Create the task builder object to create the task.
ITaskDefinition *pTask = NULL;
hr = pService->NewTask( 0, &pTask );
pService->Release(); // COM clean up. Pointer is no longer used.
if (FAILED(hr))
{
printf("Failed to CoCreate an instance of the TaskService class: %x", hr);
pRootFolder->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Get the registration info for setting the identification.
IRegistrationInfo *pRegInfo= NULL;
hr = pTask->get_RegistrationInfo( &pRegInfo );
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot get identification pointer: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
hr = pRegInfo->put_Author( _bstr_t(L"Author Name") );
pRegInfo->Release(); // COM clean up. Pointer is no longer used.
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot put identification info: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Get the trigger collection to insert the daily trigger.
ITriggerCollection *pTriggerCollection = NULL;
hr = pTask->get_Triggers( &pTriggerCollection );
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot get trigger collection: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// Add the daily trigger to the task.
ITrigger *pTrigger = NULL;
hr = pTriggerCollection->Create( TASK_TRIGGER_DAILY, &pTrigger );
pTriggerCollection->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot create the trigger: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
IDailyTrigger *pDailyTrigger = NULL;
hr = pTrigger->QueryInterface(
IID_IDailyTrigger, (void**) &pDailyTrigger );
pTrigger->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nQueryInterface call on IDailyTrigger failed: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
hr = pDailyTrigger->put_Id( _bstr_t( L"Trigger1" ) );
if( FAILED(hr) )
printf("\nCannot put trigger ID: %x", hr);
// Set the task to start daily at a certain time. The time
// format should be YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS(+-)(timezone).
// For example, the start boundary below
// is January 1st 2005 at 12:05
hr = pDailyTrigger->put_StartBoundary( _bstr_t(L"2005-01-01T12:05:00") );
if( FAILED(hr) )
printf("\nCannot put start boundary: %x", hr);
// Set the time when the trigger is deactivated.
hr = pDailyTrigger->put_EndBoundary( _bstr_t(L"2007-05-02T12:05:00") );
if( FAILED(hr) )
printf("\nCannot put the end boundary: %x", hr);
// Define the interval for the daily trigger. An interval of 2 produces an
// every other day schedule
hr = pDailyTrigger->put_DaysInterval( (short)2 );
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot put days interval: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pDailyTrigger->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// Add a repetition to the trigger so that it repeats
// five times.
IRepetitionPattern *pRepetitionPattern = NULL;
hr = pDailyTrigger->get_Repetition( &pRepetitionPattern );
pDailyTrigger->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot get repetition pattern: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
hr = pRepetitionPattern->put_Duration( _bstr_t(L"PT4M"));
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot put repetition duration: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pRepetitionPattern->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
hr = pRepetitionPattern->put_Interval( _bstr_t(L"PT1M"));
pRepetitionPattern->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot put repetition interval: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Add an action to the task. This task will execute notepad.exe.
IActionCollection *pActionCollection = NULL;
// Get the task action collection pointer.
hr = pTask->get_Actions( &pActionCollection );
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot get task collection pointer: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// Create the action, specifying that it is an executable action.
IAction *pAction = NULL;
hr = pActionCollection->Create( TASK_ACTION_EXEC, &pAction );
pActionCollection->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot create action: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
IExecAction *pExecAction = NULL;
hr = pAction->QueryInterface(
IID_IExecAction, (void**) &pExecAction );
pAction->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nQueryInterface call failed for IExecAction: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// Set the path of the executable to notepad.exe.
hr = pExecAction->put_Path( _bstr_t( wstrExecutablePath.c_str() ) );
pExecAction->Release();
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nCannot put the executable path: %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Securely get the user name and password. The task will
// be created to run with the credentials from the supplied
// user name and password.
CREDUI_INFO cui;
TCHAR pszName[CREDUI_MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH] = TEXT("");
TCHAR pszPwd[CREDUI_MAX_PASSWORD_LENGTH] = TEXT("");
BOOL fSave;
DWORD dwErr;
cui.cbSize = sizeof(CREDUI_INFO);
cui.hwndParent = NULL;
// Ensure that MessageText and CaptionText identify
// what credentials to use and which application requires them.
cui.pszMessageText = TEXT("Account information for task registration:");
cui.pszCaptionText = TEXT("Enter Account Information for Task Registration");
cui.hbmBanner = NULL;
fSave = FALSE;
// Create the UI asking for the credentials.
dwErr = CredUIPromptForCredentials(
&cui, // CREDUI_INFO structure
TEXT(""), // Target for credentials
NULL, // Reserved
0, // Reason
pszName, // User name
CREDUI_MAX_USERNAME_LENGTH, // Max number for user name
pszPwd, // Password
CREDUI_MAX_PASSWORD_LENGTH, // Max number for password
&fSave, // State of save check box
CREDUI_FLAGS_GENERIC_CREDENTIALS | // Flags
CREDUI_FLAGS_ALWAYS_SHOW_UI |
CREDUI_FLAGS_DO_NOT_PERSIST);
if(dwErr)
{
cout << "Did not get credentials." << endl;
CoUninitialize();
return 1;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------
// Save the task in the root folder.
IRegisteredTask *pRegisteredTask = NULL;
hr = pRootFolder->RegisterTaskDefinition(
_bstr_t( wszTaskName ),
pTask,
TASK_CREATE_OR_UPDATE,
_variant_t(_bstr_t(pszName)),
_variant_t(_bstr_t(pszPwd)),
TASK_LOGON_PASSWORD,
_variant_t(L""),
&pRegisteredTask);
if( FAILED(hr) )
{
printf("\nError saving the Task : %x", hr );
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
SecureZeroMemory(pszName, sizeof(pszName));
SecureZeroMemory(pszPwd, sizeof(pszPwd));
return 1;
}
printf("\n Success! Task successfully registered. " );
// Clean up
pRootFolder->Release();
pTask->Release();
pRegisteredTask->Release();
CoUninitialize();
SecureZeroMemory(pszName, sizeof(pszName));
SecureZeroMemory(pszPwd, sizeof(pszPwd));
return 0;
}
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