topic Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken in SAS Enterprise Guide

Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

Doug____ — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:17:54 GMT

Is there any way this can be done? Sometimes our scheduler breaks which requires manual open and execution of each project (100+) one at a time which is very time consuming.

PS: I cannot execute scripts on the server so it has to be done another way.

Re: Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

ballardw — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:46:48 GMT

First thing I would suggest is getting with your IT staff and determining why the Windows Scheduler "gets broken" and fix that. This could be a symptom of other, possibly worse, problems developing in the system.

Or possibly invest in a different scheduler that doesn't break.

If you can't execute scripts then who can? Any non-manual system is likely going to require some script and permissions.

Re: Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

Doug____ — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:59:06 GMT

1. Why scheduler breaks - don't know why; outside my area of influence

2. Invest in another scheduler - have no control over this piece

3. Who can execute? Likely someone in IT who is not a SAS user.

I need another way to do this that does not involve using VB scripts; e.g. running a series of projects from another project.

Re: Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:14:31 GMT

Save your projects as .sas program files to the server and use the sasbatch script from the BatchServer subdirectory with server-side scheduling. Windows(!) desktop(!) scheduling is bound to cause problems sooner or later. With 100+ jobs, you enter the realm of professional IT, so you should act like it.

Re: Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

AlanC — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:32:23 GMT

Are you allowed to run PowerShell scripts on your machine? Test using a simple Hello World script. See https://therenegadecoder.com/code/hello-world-in-powershell/

Re: Execute a Series of EG Projects in a Specific Order When Windows Scheduler is Broken

ChrisHemedinger — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:36:22 GMT

If Windows Scheduler is unreliable, you can still use your own command-line to run the automation script on your own. That's the only way you can drive this execution from EG (when you cannot use batch SAS, as some have suggested).

This article shows several things you can do with automation.

At its most simple, the scheduled task for an EG project kicks off a script command like this (for 32-bit EG):

%windir%\SysWOW64\cscript.exe <path to script>\EGScript1.vbs

64-bit EG is similar:

%windir%\System32\cscript.exe <path to script>\EGScript1.vbs

The script is generated by EG when you schedule a project, and it's set to launch EG and run the project (or a single flow). But you can create more complex scripts that run multiple flows in succession, in the sequence that you want. See the examples in the article I referenced.