Data Archive

Windows Scheduled Tasks

Related to:

Note:

  • Running tasks every minute does not work.

Using schtasks (Command-Line)

Windows provides schtasks, a command-line tool to schedule tasks.

Example

In DE_Tools see:

Command to Create the Task:

Remember there may be different Python interpreters on the machine.

Running in cmd

schtasks /create /tn "QuickTestTask" ^
    /tr "\"C:\Python312\python.exe\" \"C:\Users\RhysL\Desktop\DE_Tools\Explorations\Other\Scheduled-Tasks\example_task.py\"" ^
    /sc minute /mo 1 /f

/tn – Task name: "ExamplePythonTask" /tr – Task run: runs Python with your script as an argument /sc daily – Schedule type /st 07:30 – Start time /f – Force create if it already exists

Note: Adjust C:\Python\python.exe to your actual Python path (where python can help identify it).

Or run using a bat file ← Better option.

Delete the Task When Done

schtasks /delete /tn "QuickTestTask" /f

To check a task

Add Logging to Your Python Script

This is the most reliable and script-controlled method.

Modify example_task.py:

from datetime import datetime
import os
 
log_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "task_log.txt")
 
with open(log_path, "a") as f:
    f.write(f"Task ran at: {datetime.now()}\n")

Every time the task runs, it appends a timestamp to task_log.txt in the same directory.

Check the contents of task_log.txt to confirm it’s being updated every minute.

  1. Use Task Scheduler GUI (Manual Inspection)

  2. Open Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc)

  3. In the Task Scheduler Library, find QuickTestTask

  4. Click on it and look at the “History” tab (if enabled)

    Look for events like “Task started” or “Action completed”

If “History” is disabled, you can enable it:

Right-click on the Task Scheduler Library Click “Enable All Tasks History”

  1. Use Command Line to Check Last Run Time
schtasks /query /tn "QuickTestTask" /v /fo LIST

Look for:

Last Run Time – shows the most recent execution Last Result – 0 means success

Example output snippet:

TaskName:      \QuickTestTask
Last Run Time: 15/07/2025 12:15:00
Last Result:   0

Test if It Works Without Waiting

To verify the task works right now:

schtasks /run /tn "QuickTestTask"

This forces the task to run immediately

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