Schedule a task

[Emerogork]

I want the computer to execute the following line:

mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1

at 7:00 am until 10 am Monday through Friday. Unconditionally.

I have explored the task menus ad-nausium... and still it does not trigger. There are simply too many options to list them here to explain what I could have done to try to get this to work. I do not get any errors indicating that something is wrong.

The "Missing Manual" did not help.

How can I do this?

 

[Neutron16]

You need to create a playlist for this stream (or download one from attachment) and then create a task "Start a program" with this file.

Since the task can only be auto-stopped in 30min, 1,2,4,8,12 hours or 1, 3 days you need to create another task which would kill your music at 10 am.

You can do that with BATch script( To execute the file it must be saved with a .bat extension in plain text format with a program like Notepad).

taskkill /im wmplayer.exe

Of course you need to make sure that playlist is assigned to the program you are playing your music in and in batch script instead "wmplayer.exe" you have exe name of same program (vlc.exe, winamp.exe etc.)

As for Task Scheduler itself - you just need to Click Create Task, name it in General tab, go to Triggers tab and create a new trigger where you specify days and time, then in Actions tab, create a new action - start a program or script.

 

[Emerogork]

Working this on and off for a while now,...

I have to admit, mostly off though (-: I use Task Scheduler to play radio programs using various URLs.

Here are some quirks though: When listening to a program triggered by the task scheduler, it sounds as if I am listening to Max Headroom. I get, I get I get repetitions of phrases at times especially if I am also using the computer for other reasons. It sounds like a CD skipping. For example, if I load Outlook to send an e-mail message, the repeats happen continuously as it is loading and stop when the program is loaded. The effect stops when no activity is going on. While typing this message, some of this audio jitters have happened. Interesting enough, if I let this go on for a lot of time, the broadcast gets delayed from the time of the original broadcast. When the time is announced, what I am listening to can off as much as 5 minutes from actual time. I doubt that I am losing anything but just slowing things down. This does not seem to be noticeable if I trigger the radio directly from the icon.

Thoughts appreciated on where/how to fix this...

 

[Emerogork]

Same comment, condensed...

In a nut shell: Apparently events in the task Scheduler have a very low priority. Therefore when playing an audio event, such as on-line radio, it gets interrupted many times when something else is loading. It sounds as if Max Headroom is narrating the show (-: Under General I do have the option Run With Highest Privileges checked. This shows up if the event is scheduled through the task scheduler but not if I run the same instruction using an icon without the scheduler. Is there some other option to use, either within the scheduler or without, that will give these events a higher priority? (How do I enable HTML here? I tried the GT/LT above.)

 

[Emerogork]

Why is it?

I have questions in how to weed out errors in the use of the task Scheduler but this web site is prevent it. It seems that the more technical the forum, the more work I have to do to baby the text to keep it from becoming a single paragraph blob of unreadable text. Is there a hidden switch here or do I have to enter HTML text all over the place? What happened to "What I type is what you get." that other web sites have?

 

[Neutron16]

I would try to start a bat file with the command in it:

start /high '<command>'

Basically, Task Scheduler will start a bat file, and bat file will start a program with high priority.
(I haven't tried that myself, gotta run now)

As for "what you see is what you get" post editing in this forum, please go to Forum Control Panel/ Edit Options, scroll all the way down to subsection Miscellaneuous Options - Message Editor Interface and choose your type
- Basic, Standard, Enhanced.

 

[Emerogork]

Good Stuff, the command does help. Meanwhile, I have enhanced enabled. WYSIWYG to me says that way I type it is the way you get it. Am I still doing something wrong? Not a loss though, I now have newest on top set.

 

[Emerogork]

I would try to start a bat file with the command in it:

start /high '<command>'

Basically, Task Scheduler will start a bat file, and bat file will start a program with high priority.
(I haven't tried that myself, gotta run now)

.

Ok, I have used this in batch files with good results but the original problem exists. Here is what I have done:

Open the Task Scheduler and create a Basic Task. In Actions, I copy/paste the target from the Icon. When I save the setting, the scheduler asks me if I want change something to an argument. It looks like it separates the use of iexplorer.exe to the script text box and the path as an argument. This works for the most part. The original problem exists. Although I have checked "Run with highest priorities" in General, the audio that is playing sounds like Max Headroom with takes and retakes if anything else if running in the system especially the opening of Outlook.

I guess, after experimenting, that the Start /high statement cannot be invoked here. Maybe there needs to be some different syntax in this situation...

I have scheduled batch files working else where but don't see how to place all this in a batch file to be able to include the Start /high command you suggest.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[Neutron16]

I think you should try to play that audio stream with Windows Media Player 12, which shoud come by default with Windows 7 (if you have Windows 7 N version you can get Windows Media Player here).

Open Windows Media Player - go to View - Library. Click on Playlists, then click File- Open URL, paste your streaming link. When link will be opened, save it as a separate playlist with "one-word" name (without spaces), for example RadioWAMU.

Close Windows Media Player. Now you need to create a bat file:

start /High C:\"Program Files"\"Windows Media Player"\"wmplayer.exe" /Playlist [FONT=arial black]RadioWAMU[/FONT]

Then create a task to run that bat file.
I just have tested that batch file - Media Player runs like a charm with HIGH priority.

P.S. This is how WYSIWYG editor (section Quick Reply) looks in this forum (most of BBCodes are enabled):

 

[Emerogork]

I think you should try to play that audio stream with Windows Media Player 12, which shoud come by default with Windows 7 (if you have Windows 7 N version you can get Windows Media Player here).

Open Windows Media Player - go to View - Library. Click on Playlists, then click File- Open URL, paste your streaming link. When link will be opened, save it as a separate playlist with "one-word" name (without spaces), for example RadioWAMU.

Close Windows Media Player. Now you need to create a bat file:

start /High C:\"Program Files"\"Windows Media Player"\"wmplayer.exe" /Playlist [FONT=arial black]RadioWAMU[/FONT]

Then create a task to run that bat file.
I just have tested that batch file - Media Player runs like a charm with HIGH priority.

P.S. This is how WYSIWYG editor (section Quick Reply) looks in this forum (most of BBCodes are enabled):

[FONT=&quot]OK, let me see if I can make sense out of this:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Using a plain text editor, I created a batch file: WAMURadio.bat that contains the line:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]start /high C:\"Program Files"\"Windows Media Player"\"wmplayer.exe" /playlist radioWAMU[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In Windows Media Player I created RadioWAMU in Library/Playlist. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I highlight RadioWAMU and click on: File/open URL and enter:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Click on OK.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I then double click on WAMURadio.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]All I get is an instance of the Windows Media Player square with the options: Play all Music, Go to Library, and Play previous list. It also has the play control buttons at the bottom. No radio playing.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Meanwhile, I can click on the URL above and get the radio station, no problem.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In a lark, I created a batch file RadioWAMU2.bat that contains the line:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]start /high mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]and it activates properly on a double click.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]When I program it in Task Scheduler, it shows the same MaxHeadroom stuttering that any other attempt has shown.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Any form of activity in the computer, including the desktop refresh screensaver, will c-c-c-cause a-a-a-a-audio s-s-stut-t-tering and-d-d-d d-d-delay.

If I run the batch file or from an icon the audio s flawless.[/FONT]

 

[Neutron16]

start /high mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1 <--This wont work.

Your were doing everything right using my instruction until this moment
In Windows Media Player I created RadioWAMU in Library/Playlist.
I highlight RadioWAMU and click on: File/open URL and enter:
mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1.
Click on OK.

After that you need to SAVE that playlist (check screenshot in attachment).
In your case it disappeared because you did not save it. Save it and close Media Player.

Now, bat file should work.
start /high C:\"Program Files"\"Windows Media Player"\"wmplayer.exe" /playlist radioWAMU

 

[Emerogork]

start /high mms://wamu-wm.streamguys.com/WAMU-1 <--This wont work.

After that you need to SAVE that playlist (check screenshot in attachment).
In your case it disappeared because you did not save it. Save it and close Media Player.

Now, bat file should work.
start /high C:\"Program Files"\"Windows Media Player"\"wmplayer.exe" /playlist radioWAMU

Well, whether or not it should start up with a high priority may be debatable but it does work. The radio does play as scheduled. As far as the saved playlist, the entry under library/playlist did not disappear. I closed Media Player and reopened it. It is there, it plays, but it stutters when another operations is going on.

I did the playlist save and have the same situation when I run it from Media Player.
I can double click on the bat file directly and it works without any stuttering.

Occam's Razor suggests that the problem may be else where...
Other thoughts?

 

[Emerogork]

Discovery: I sent the file to someone to try on his system. On his it works flawlessly both as a stand alone bat file and run under MS Media Player. Both ran well under Task Scheduler. Same operating system/version.

His system is not necessarily new and my system is a bit faster CPU speed. Both systems apparently have nothing else running. This leads me to think of a possibility that something is infesting my system.

Meanwhile, I did learn a lot about Media Player, task Manager and more about batch files.... If I find anything, I will post the solution. If you think of anything, I will be happy to read it.
Thanks...