Powershell - create scheduled task in Windows Task Scheduler - part 2

Overview

In part 1, we introduced the on demand task which is not a repetitive task. In part 2, we will show you how to create daily and week task.

The Powershell script in creating daily and weekly tasks

$task_folder = "\myTasks\"
$ps_script_file = "d:\temp5\test-script.ps1"

<###########################################
this is task #3 - DAILY
###########################################>

$task_name = "myTask3"

## The first line will show err if $task_folder does not exist.
## The second line will not show any error if $task_folder does not exist.
#$exist = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath $task_folder | Where-Object {$_.TaskName -eq $task_name}
$exist = Get-ScheduledTask | where {$_.TaskPath -eq "\myTasks\" -and $_.TaskName -eq $task_name }

if (!$exist)  {
    $axn = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass ""$ps_script_file"""

    $sch = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 5pm

    Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $task_name  -TaskPath $task_folder -Action $axn -Trigger $sch

    Write-Host "created new task $task_name"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$task_name task already exists"
}

<###########################################>

$task_name = "myTask3-1"
$exist = Get-ScheduledTask | where {$_.TaskPath -eq "\myTasks\" -and $_.TaskName -eq $task_name }

if (!$exist)  {
    $axn = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass ""$ps_script_file"""

    $sch = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 1am

    $task = Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $task_name  -TaskPath $task_folder -Action $axn -Trigger $sch

    # run every 30 minutes
    $task.Triggers.Repetition.Interval = "PT30M"

    # for 12 hours. For 1 days, use "P1D".
    $task.Triggers.Repetition.Duration = "PT12H"

    # update the task
    $task | Set-ScheduledTask

    Write-Host "created new task $task_name"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$task_name task already exists"
}

<###########################################
this is task #4 - WEEKLY
###########################################>

$task_name = "myTask4"
$exist = Get-ScheduledTask | where {$_.TaskPath -eq "\myTasks\" -and $_.TaskName -eq $task_name }

if (!$exist)  {
    $axn = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass ""$ps_script_file"""

    # runs at 6:30pm.
    $sch = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Monday, Friday -At "18:30"

    Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $task_name  -TaskPath $task_folder -Action $axn -Trigger $sch

    Write-Host "created new task $task_name"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$task_name task already exists"
}

Advantages on Powershell in creating daily and weekly tasks

• Easier to deploy many tasks in a script. For example, you want to review all user documents in their workstation. Like searching for MP3 files which they should not keep in their office computer and then the script will file a report.

Disadvantages on Powershell in creating daily and weekly tasks

• One caveat in the above is that, editing a schedule task is not an easy job. The workaround is to delete the task and re-create it.

Conclusion

Even though we have spent a lot of hours in digging into Powershell on managing the task, it's worth it. Now, we are able to manage the task without touching the slow response GUI.

Related posts

1. Create scheduled task in Windows Task Scheduler - part 1
2. Create scheduled task in Windows Task Scheduler - part 2
3. Create scheduled task in Windows Task Scheduler - part 3

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