not sure why that is happening to you. When I wrote the script and executed the scheduled process it was almost 3 years ago and a much older version of ArcServer. I have not needed to do anything similar using a shapefile since then. I now use GeoEvent Processor to create geometry from non-spatial features and that has worked very well.
I just went through the steps again.
Went back into my flex application that pulls in the published layer and there was no change at all, feature service shares same old data that i published in steps above.
I dont understand how updating your shapefile dynamically updates your map service. I've just never heard of that.
I was looking over the script (wrote this 2.5 years ago) and it was creating a layer file from the csv, also it was copying the layer file to our webserver and it was not updating the file but replacing it. There is definitely a difference in our workflows. I am not condoning using a shapefile or layer file for a webservice, this script was created as a temporary solution during a hurricane that hit our community. We have since then moved on to more advanced processes to support our workflows.
Nolan,
Are you using an older version of Server?
In previous versions (at least 10.0 and older) you could do this, but not sure now.
My experience shows that using the map service publishing toolbar from ArcMap doesn't give you this ability as it publishes as an msd and you would need to re-publish the service to re-create the msd file.
However, if you save the mxd file in ArcMap, then, in ArcCatalog, right-click the mxd and select publish as service.
This will publish it as an mxd service, and, if you modify the mxd or the data the mxd is utilizing, you will see the updates in the web service automatically (at least, once the server cache has cleared).
R_