[AccessD] Can a "Scheduled" Access application run under Windows Server 2012 in "Logged Off" Mode?

Stuart McLachlan stuart at lexacorp.com.pg
Thu May 29 19:10:19 CDT 2014


Just a WAG, but 

1.  Access by default uses the logged in user's My Documents as the Current Directory.  With 
no logged in user, this may be causing a problem.

2. If there is no logged in user, does the application have rights to create the lock file in the 
application directory?

What happens if you put the application is a directory to which "Everyone" has RW access 
and  change the Access option "Default Database Folder" to the same location?

-- 
Stuart 



On 29 May 2014 at 12:55, Brad Marks wrote:

> Jim,
> 
> For testing, I built a very small Access application that simply
> writes one record to a sequential log file when the application is
> initiated.
> 
> Via the Windows Server 2012 Task Scheduler, this little Access
> application will run nicely when I select the option "Only Run While
> Logged On".  I can see the record that was added to the log file by
> the ap.
> 
> When I choose the Task Scheduler Option "Run While  Either Logged on
> or Logged Off" the Access application seems to hang as soon as it is
> loaded.  There is no log record added.  If I go into the Task Manager
> I can see Access just sitting there, doing nothing.
> 
> I am trying to figure out if this is a new "feature" of Windows Server
> 2012 or if I am running into something else, such as an authorization
> issue.
> 
> Thanks for your help.
> 
> Brad
> 
> PS.  I got my start with computers back in 1975 running batch jobs on
> an IBM mainframe (JCL, COBOL, VSAM, etc).  I sometimes joke that I
> treat the Windows Server as an IBM Mainframe.  Maybe this is what is
> getting me into trouble  :-)  
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> <accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> on behalf of Jim Dettman
> <jimdettman at verizon.net> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 7:42 AM To:
> 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re:
> [AccessD] Can a "Scheduled" Access application run under   Windows
> Server 2012 in "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
>   I think that's pretty much what I and the others have found.   In
>   fact I'm
> trying to remember if I ever had a situation where I got an Access
> based task to run in batch and I don't believe I have.
> 
>   There can be no interaction with the desktop certainly and no use of
> mapped drives or printers.  Is there anything in your app that was
> changed recently that might pertain to that (i.e. popup a message
> box)?   Or was it simply moved from 2003 to 2012?
> 
>  I can say I that something was changed from 2003 to 2008 R2 as I had
>  a
> number of issues, but everything that I can remember was already
> running interactive under 2003, so I don't know if this pertains or
> not.
> 
>   My problems centered around two things:
> 
> 1. Application hang at quit
> 2. C000005 memory access violation at exit.
> 
>  This was with A2000/A2003.
> 
> Jim.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Brad Marks
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 08:05 AM To: Access Developers discussion
> and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] Can a "Scheduled" Access
> application run under Windows Server 2012 in "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
> Jim,
> 
> Thanks for the advice.
> 
> I thought that I was running into a problem with how the Windows
> Server 2012 Task Scheduler works.
> 
> Based on your post, it sounds like the problem is related to Access
> running in "logged off" mode, no matter how the job is scheduled.
> 
> Brad
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> <accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> on behalf of Jim Dettman
> <jimdettman at verizon.net>
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 5:54 AM
> To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Can a "Scheduled" Access application run under
> Windows Server 2012 in "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
> <<I hope that we can find a way to make this all work with the Windows
> Server Task Scheduler.  It is my understanding that there are third
> party Job Schedulers available for less than $100.>>
> 
>   I don't think you will.   I had issues moving to 2008, explored a
>   half
> dozen 3rd party schedulers, even wrote my own in Access, all with the
> same results.  I ended up running everything as a foreground app with
> a user being constantly logged in.
> 
>  One interesting thing I found there; Application.Quit would often
>  cause a
> hang where DoCmd.Quit would not.
> 
> Jim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Brad Marks
> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 04:37 PM To: Access Developers
> discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] Can a
> "Scheduled" Access application run under Windows Server 2012 in
> "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
> Jim,
> 
> 1. I have run many tests while experimenting with the Task Scheduler
> options.  The "Elevated Privileges" option sounded promising, but it
> did not seem to make any difference.
> 
> 2. You are right, there are several things to keep in mind when
> running Access in logged off mode.  We have been doing this for a long
> time and over all it has worked very well.  I work for a small firm
> with a very limited budget.  Access has been great for reports and
> inquiries (both on demand and scheduled) and the cost is very low
> compared to the alternatives.  Our nightly jobs all use UNCs instead
> of drive mappings.  The programs have no need for user interaction. 
> All messages and error logic uses sequential log files.
> 
> I hope that we can find a way to make this all work with the Windows
> Server Task Scheduler.  It is my understanding that there are third
> party Job Schedulers available for less than $100.
> 
> Thanks for your ideas.
> 
> Brad
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jim Dettman
> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 3:26 PM To: 'Access Developers
> discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] Can a
> "Scheduled" Access application run under Windows Server 2012 in
> "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
> 
> Couple of thoughts:
> 
> 1. Your running afoul of UAC - Make sure you check the box "run with
> elevated privileges" (or some such - don't remember what it is
> off-hand at the moment).
> 
> 2. Keep in mind that when your in a logged off state, there is no user
> desktop, drives may not be mapped, etc.
> 
> Jim.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Brad Marks
> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 04:04 PM To: Access Developers
> discussion and problem solving Subject: [AccessD] Can a "Scheduled"
> Access application run under Windows Server 2012 in "Logged Off" Mode?
> 
> All,
> 
> Earlier, I posted a question that involved a script initiating an
> Access application.  After doing a fair amount of experimenting, I
> believe that this problem has nothing to do with the script.
> 
> I think that it all boils down to whether it is possible to run an
> Access application in "Logged Off" mode under Windows Server 2012 R2.
> 
> I have a number of automated report jobs that pull data from SQL
> Server, Pervasive, and Firebird databases to create reports every
> night.  These jobs have worked nicely for over five years while
> running on an old server with Windows Server 2003.
> 
> Now, with the upgrade to new hardware and Windows Server 2012, I
> cannot get any Access application to run in logged off mode via the
> Task Scheduler.
> 
> Has anyone been able to do this?
> 
> Have others run into this same problem?
> 
> We are migrating from Windows Server 2003 to 2012.  I would guess that
> 2008 and 2011 are similar to 2012.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brad
> 
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