How to compare Environment settings for when I log in vs Task scheduler logs me in.

[Leonid L]

[This may sound like a programming question, but it is actually
simpler than that.]

I have a Windows Server 2003 SP1 configured to run nightly tests of
software. That involves: A) Downloading them using tf.exe, B)
compiling them using devenv.exe, C) running an executable created
during compilation.

I've written a small C# App that performs steps 1) 2), and 3) in
order. I also created a local non-admin user, and configured the task
scheduler to run this App as that user (I supplied a password).

The App started in this way fails at step 2) The exact message is:
"Error spawning 'C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'"

Without getting into details of the build process, I need to tell you
that I do not have this same problem when I start the app myself (when
logged in to the computer over remote desktop). I think the
environment variables differ depending on how I log in to computer.

When I am actually logged in, I can capture the values of the
environment variables by running a .bat script, containing the
following line:
set > C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt

However, I could not get the same script to run successfully when I
schedule it to run and I myself am not logged in. I am specifying the
full output path, it exists, and permissions look OK. It must be
getting confused about the first part - the set command. I do not
think it is able to find it.
=========================================================================

Any suggestions on how I can capture the environment reliably when I
am not logged in ?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

"Leonid L" <parubok@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1192571522.994970.79670@e34g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
> [This may sound like a programming question, but it is actually
> simpler than that.]
>
> I have a Windows Server 2003 SP1 configured to run nightly tests of
> software. That involves: A) Downloading them using tf.exe, B)
> compiling them using devenv.exe, C) running an executable created
> during compilation.
>
> I've written a small C# App that performs steps 1) 2), and 3) in
> order. I also created a local non-admin user, and configured the task
> scheduler to run this App as that user (I supplied a password).
>
> The App started in this way fails at step 2) The exact message is:
> "Error spawning 'C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'"
>
> Without getting into details of the build process, I need to tell you
> that I do not have this same problem when I start the app myself (when
> logged in to the computer over remote desktop). I think the
> environment variables differ depending on how I log in to computer.
>
> When I am actually logged in, I can capture the values of the
> environment variables by running a .bat script, containing the
> following line:
> set > C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt
>
> However, I could not get the same script to run successfully when I
> schedule it to run and I myself am not logged in. I am specifying the
> full output path, it exists, and permissions look OK. It must be
> getting confused about the first part - the set command. I do not
> think it is able to find it.
> =========================================================================
>
> Any suggestions on how I can capture the environment reliably when I
> am not logged in ?
>

The "set" command works regardless of the context it is
invoked in. Your problem is most likely caused by permissions:
The account you use for the scheduled command does not
have sufficient access rights to C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt. Make
it C:\set_out.txt and watch how it works immediately!

 

[Leonid L]

On Oct 16, 6:10 pm, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@fly.com> wrote:
> "Leonid L" <paru...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1192571522.994970.79670@e34g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> > [This may sound like a programming question, but it is actually
> > simpler than that.]
>
> > I have a Windows Server 2003 SP1 configured to run nightly tests of
> > software. That involves: A) Downloading them using tf.exe, B)
> > compiling them using devenv.exe, C) running an executable created
> > during compilation.
>
> > I've written a small C# App that performs steps 1) 2), and 3) in
> > order. I also created a local non-admin user, and configured the task
> > scheduler to run this App as that user (I supplied a password).
>
> > The App started in this way fails at step 2) The exact message is:
> > "Error spawning 'C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'"
>
> > Without getting into details of the build process, I need to tell you
> > that I do not have this same problem when I start the app myself (when
> > logged in to the computer over remote desktop). I think the
> > environment variables differ depending on how I log in to computer.
>
> > When I am actually logged in, I can capture the values of the
> > environment variables by running a .bat script, containing the
> > following line:
> > set > C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt
>
> > However, I could not get the same script to run successfully when I
> > schedule it to run and I myself am not logged in. I am specifying the
> > full output path, it exists, and permissions look OK. It must be
> > getting confused about the first part - the set command. I do not
> > think it is able to find it.
> > =========================================================================
>
> > Any suggestions on how I can capture the environment reliably when I
> > am not logged in ?
>
> The "set" command works regardless of the context it is
> invoked in. Your problem is most likely caused by permissions:
> The account you use for the scheduled command does not
> have sufficient access rights to C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt. Make
> it C:\set_out.txt and watch how it works immediately!

Thanks for the suggestion.

It did not work for me, however. I tried various directories including
C:\, but the task scheduler would say "unable to start" when I would
check for the status some time later.
The task runs under the same user name, whether I am logged in or not.
I tried both ways: executing a .bat script containing the "set >
<path>/<out_file>" and executing the "set > <path>/<out_file>" command
without creating a .bat script.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

"Leonid L" <parubok@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1192724975.924516.36720@e34g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
> On Oct 16, 6:10 pm, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@fly.com> wrote:
>> "Leonid L" <paru...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:1192571522.994970.79670@e34g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>
>> > [This may sound like a programming question, but it is actually
>> > simpler than that.]
>>
>> > I have a Windows Server 2003 SP1 configured to run nightly tests of
>> > software. That involves: A) Downloading them using tf.exe, B)
>> > compiling them using devenv.exe, C) running an executable created
>> > during compilation.
>>
>> > I've written a small C# App that performs steps 1) 2), and 3) in
>> > order. I also created a local non-admin user, and configured the task
>> > scheduler to run this App as that user (I supplied a password).
>>
>> > The App started in this way fails at step 2) The exact message is:
>> > "Error spawning 'C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'"
>>
>> > Without getting into details of the build process, I need to tell you
>> > that I do not have this same problem when I start the app myself (when
>> > logged in to the computer over remote desktop). I think the
>> > environment variables differ depending on how I log in to computer.
>>
>> > When I am actually logged in, I can capture the values of the
>> > environment variables by running a .bat script, containing the
>> > following line:
>> > set > C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt
>>
>> > However, I could not get the same script to run successfully when I
>> > schedule it to run and I myself am not logged in. I am specifying the
>> > full output path, it exists, and permissions look OK. It must be
>> > getting confused about the first part - the set command. I do not
>> > think it is able to find it.
>> > =========================================================================
>>
>> > Any suggestions on how I can capture the environment reliably when I
>> > am not logged in ?
>>
>> The "set" command works regardless of the context it is
>> invoked in. Your problem is most likely caused by permissions:
>> The account you use for the scheduled command does not
>> have sufficient access rights to C:\<mypath>\set_out.txt. Make
>> it C:\set_out.txt and watch how it works immediately!
>
> Thanks for the suggestion.
>
> It did not work for me, however. I tried various directories including
> C:\, but the task scheduler would say "unable to start" when I would
> check for the status some time later.
> The task runs under the same user name, whether I am logged in or not.
> I tried both ways: executing a .bat script containing the "set >
> <path>/<out_file>" and executing the "set > <path>/<out_file>" command
> without creating a .bat script.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks.
>

Aha! Your problem is therefore not the "set" command but the
scheduled task. That's something completely different! Have a
look at the Event Logger and remember that scheduled tasks
must be run with an account that has a non-blank password.
And please don't do all your tests with one and the same account.
Be flexible and create another account for your tests!