Example for a job that repeats execution for a limited period

We need to be able to define a repeat job that does not go beyond a specific date, i.e. does not repeat forever

Example

• I would like a job that would repeat until, say, 01/01/2013.

Solution

First of all, you should work with schedules. Schedules are run_times that have a name and can be referenced from jobs or orders.

• Create a NeverRun schedule which has a single start in the past, so it will never run:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
   <schedule name="NeverRun">
      <date date="1978-11-17">
          <period single_start="01:00"/>
      </date>
   </schedule> 
  

  (Note that you can also find this code in the NeverRun.schedule.xml file in our download.)

• Assign this schedule to your job or order: edit the runtime parameter and remove everything until you just have <run_time schedule="NeverRun"/>.
  E.g.:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
   <job>
      <params/>
      <script language="shell">
          <![CDATA[
   echo halloo welt!
          ]]>
      </script>
      <run_time schedule="NeverRun"/>
   </job>
  

• Now the trick is that you can replace schedules with other schedules for a certain period. This means you can create a repeat schedule which will replace the NeverRun schedule until 01/01/2013:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
   <schedule substitute="NeverRun"
            valid_to="2013-01-01 00:00">
      <weekdays>
          <day day="1 4 5">
              <period repeat="00:05" begin="06:00" end="06:30"/>
          </day>
      </weekdays>
   </schedule>
  

  (You can also find this code in our download, this time in the Repeat.schedule.xml file.)