Updating Scheduled Task Script from Powershell

Question

I'm attempting to write a Powershell script that runs once a day. One of the many functions it will perform is to make sure that the script itself is up to date. My problem is that since I version the scripts, I need to update the scheduled task I create from within the script.

I've thought about 2 different approaches here, of which I can't figure out either:

I initially thought I could simply get the ScheduledTask object for my Task, and update the file path there. I was ultimately unable to access the path.
My next thought was I could simply call Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "mytask" and then afterwards Register-ScheduledTask and recreate it with the new path.

After failing Option 1, I'm stuck on the execution of Option 2. I am able to find and Unregister my Task, but when attempting to register it with the new path I receive the following error:

Register-ScheduledJob : The scheduled job definition <myTask> already exists in the job definition store.
At line:3 char:1
+ Register-ScheduledJob -Name "<myTask>" -FilePath "C:\Apps\\Uploade ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (Microsoft.Power...edJobDefinition:ScheduledJobDefinition) [Register-ScheduledJob], ScheduledJobException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CantRegisterScheduledJobDefinition,Microsoft.PowerShell.ScheduledJob.RegisterScheduledJobCommand

Edit: To clarify, my Scheduled task path is something like, C:\Apps\myscript_v0.0.1.ps1 As a result, when I update, it will become C:\Apps\myscript_v0.1.5.ps1 or whatever, and I need to run the new version as opposed to old one that is currently the target.

Why not keep the path to the live script constant, and track version history elsewhere? < Why does the path need to change? — noam
– noam, Commented Aug 26, 2014 at 21:07
Do you have a scheduled task, or a scheduled job? Click here for more info (The Scripting Guys blog link). — TheMadTechnician
– TheMadTechnician, Commented Aug 26, 2014 at 21:28
@TheMadTechnician I cannot believe I messed that up, thank you for catching that. I had registered a Job, but unregistered a Task and tried reregistering another job which obviously doesnt work haha. I'll leave this up in hopes someone might provide a solution to simply updating the file without jumping through registration hoops. Just in case if you want to add your comment as an answer I can accept it in a few days if there are no other bites. — Karoly S
– Karoly S, Commented Aug 26, 2014 at 21:43

TheMadTechnician · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-26 22:03:51Z

Ok, changing the job's file path is easy. First we get the job, then we pipe that scheduledjob object to Set-ScheduledJob and specify the -FilePath

$NewPath = GCI C:\Apps\myscript_*.ps1 | Select -last 1 -ExpandProperty FullName
Get-ScheduledJob MyJob | Set-ScheduledJob -FilePath $NewPath

Edit: To give credit where credit is due, I would like to thank Get-Help *-ScheduledJob followed by Get-Help Set-ScheduledJob -Full and Example 1 for going through this exact situation...

Example 1: Change the script that a job runs

The first command uses the Get-ScheduledJob cmdlet to get the Inventory 
scheduled job. The output shows that the job runs the Get-Inventory.ps1 
script.This command is not required; it is included only to show the 
effect of the script change.

PS C:\>Get-ScheduledJob -Name Inventory
Id         Name            Triggers        Command                                  Enabled
--         ----            --------        -------                                  -------
1          Inventory       {1}             C:\Scripts\Get-Inventory.ps1             True

The second command uses the Get-ScheduledJob cmdlet to get the Inventory
scheduled job. A pipeline operator (|) sends the scheduled job to the 
Set-ScheduledJob cmdlet. The Set-ScheduledJob command uses the Script 
parameter to specify a new script, Get-FullInventory.ps1. The command
uses the Passthru parameter to return the scheduled job after the change.

PS C:\>Get-ScheduledJob -Name Inventory | Set-ScheduledJob -FilePath C:\Scripts\Get-FullInventory.ps1 -Passthru

Welp now I feel like an idiot. Always good to learn something new haha! Thanks a ton.

user4317867 · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-24 06:00:28Z

1

Just posting as PowerShell was updated to include Unregister-ScheduledJob as seen here

answered Jul 24, 2015 at 6:00

user4317867

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