Schedule a C# console application

Question

I\'ve given a task to create an email C# console application which targeted to run as batch. I\'m very new to C# area and hence I have no idea about my direction. This C# co

Answer 1

If you want to manage the scheduler by code have a look at Quartz.NET: http://quartznet.sourceforge.net/

This library provides the creation of jobs and triggers.

e.g. (directly from: http://quartznet.sourceforge.net/tutorial/lesson_3.html):

// construct a scheduler factory
ISchedulerFactory schedFact = new StdSchedulerFactory();

// get a scheduler
IScheduler sched = schedFact.GetScheduler();
sched.Start();

// construct job info
JobDetail jobDetail = new JobDetail("myJob", null, typeof(DumbJob));
// fire every hour
Trigger trigger = TriggerUtils.MakeHourlyTrigger();
// start on the next even hour
trigger.StartTime = TriggerUtils.GetEvenHourDate(DateTime.UtcNow);  
trigger.Name = "myTrigger";
sched.ScheduleJob(jobDetail, trigger);

Now this means your console application should run continuously which makes it not really suitable for the job.

Option 1. Add a task via task scheduler (real easy) that executes your console application. See example task: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12444-task-scheduler-create-new-task.html

Option 2. Create a windows service (not to complicated) that uses a library like Quartz.NET or .NET's Timer class to scheduele jobs and executes a batch operation. See for creation of windows service http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zt39148a.aspx

Option 3. Make your console application implement a scheduele library like Quartz.NET or /Net's Timer class and run it as a service (a bit more complex): Create Windows service from executable

Answer 2

As long as it requires no user input, it will be able to run on it's own. You can schedule the program to run in Windows Task Scheduler for example.