Scheduling your Python scripts to run at prescribed times will require that you create a batch file containing one or more scripts and or operating system commands. These batch files can then be added to the Windows scheduler to run at a specific time interval.
Batch files are text files containing command-line sequences to run Python scripts or perform operating system commands. They have a file extension of .bat, which Windows recognizes as an executable file. Since batch files simply contain command-line sequences, they can be written with any text editor, though it is recommended that you use a basic text editor, such as Notepad. This is done so that you can avoid the inclusion of invisible special characters, which are sometimes inserted by programs, such as Microsoft Word. In this recipe, you will create a simple batch file that navigates to the directory containing your ListFields.py script and executes it.
Follow these steps to create a batch file:
Open a Notepad.
Add the following lines of text to the file:
cd c:\ArcpyBook\Appendix1 python ListFields.py c:\ArcpyBook\data Burglaries_2009.shp
Save the file to your desktop as
ListFields.bat. Make sure you change the Save as Type drop-down list to All Files, otherwise you'll wind up with a file calledListFields.bat.txt.In Windows, navigate to your desktop and double-click on
ListFields.batto execute the sequence of commands.A command prompt will be displayed during execution. After the commands have been executed, the command prompt will automatically close.
Windows treats a batch file as an executable, so double-clicking on the file will automatically execute the sequence of commands contained within the file in a new command prompt window. All the print statements will be written to the window. After the commands have been executed, the command prompt will automatically close. In the event that you need to keep a track of the output, you can write the statements to an output log file.
Batch files can contain variables, loops, comments, and conditional logic. These functionalities are beyond the scope of this recipe. However, if you're writing and running a number of scripts for your organization, it's worthwhile spending some time learning more about batch files. Batch files have been around for a long time, so there is no shortage of information about these files on the Web. For more information about batch files, please consult the Wikipedia page for this topic.