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

Brad Marks bradm at blackforestltd.com
Thu May 29 20:07:56 CDT 2014


Stuart,

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.  I plan to experiment with them tomorrow.

Brad



> On May 29, 2014, at 7:11 PM, "Stuart McLachlan" <stuart at lexacorp.com.pg> wrote:
> 
> 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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