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Python script as sheduled task (ArcGIS Pro)

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Is anyone able to run a script through Windows Task scheduler using ArcGIS Pro? As a test I have an extremely simple script (just copying a feature) that runs fine within ArcGIS Pro.

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>management<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>CopyFeatures<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"C:\CityScripts\ScheduledTasks\SafewatchCameras\Data\General.gdb\SafewatchCameras"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"C:\CityScripts\ScheduledTasks\SafewatchCameras\Data\General.gdb\SafewatchCamerastemp2"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> None<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> None<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> None<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> None<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

I setup the Task Scheduler as recommended by the ArcGIS Pro help and while the Task completes successfully nothing happens with the script.

Put in a call to ESRI tech support but they said it was a Windows issue and therefore couldn't work on it.

Scott

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AndrewL

We just migrated to a Windows 2019 server and c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\scripts\propy.bat kept failing immediately. I tried your suggestion of c:\Progra~1\ and it worked. Thanks!

Ed_Conrad

Here's another addition to the thread in case it's helpful to others since this took me awhile to sort out scheduled tasks using ArcGIS Pro's Python 3 environment.

Setup:

Windows Server 2016 Datacenter
ArcGIS Pro 2.5.1
- Concurrent-use licensing
- "Authorize ArcGIS Pro to Work Offline" is not checked.
- Not signed into either AGOL or Portal (for sake of testing)
- Python version 3.6.9
ArcMap 10.7.1
- Concurrent-use licensing
- Python version 2.7.16

*Yes, this particular server has both Pro and ArcMap and therefore Python3 and Python2, but only Python3 was set into system's path variable.

Issue:
Our Python 3 scripts worked correctly from both the command prompt or running them directly from an IDE, yet Windows task scheduler kept reporting an error was returned in the last run result: (0x1).

Reason for Error:
Windows task scheduler defaulted to running Python 2, causing scripts using Python 3 to fail. It took me awhile to catch this since only Python3 has been set inside the Environment's path variable, so I assumed that Windows Task scheduler would be running Python3 --- not Python2.

(*** not sure about the message about the environment not being activated. ***)

Helper diagnosing script:

I created a dummy script using only Python 2 and used the sys module to report which version of Python was being called when the script was run through Task scheduler. The script revealed it was Python2, cementing that I needed to explicitly point to Python 3 installation.

import os
import sys
from datetime import datetime

def main():
   try:
      basepath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
      os.chdir(os.path.join(basepath, 'Test_script'))
      with open("log.txt", "a") as f:
         f.write('hello world! @ {}\n'.format(datetime.now()))
         f.write('Python installation info:\n')
         f.write('major: {} minor: {} micro: {}\n'.format(sys.version_info[0], sys.version_info[1], sys.version_info[2]))
   except Exception as exc:
      f.write(exc)

if __name__ == '__main__':
main()

Solution:
I had to specify the path to Python3 for program/script and the fullpath to the script as an argument. Again, since my Python2 scripts just worked when I specified the path to the script (done on a different server with Python2 installation set in path), I thought it would work be the same for Python3.

Python 3 Script (Server with python3 in path and without python2 in path)

vs.

Python 2 Script (DIFFERENT Server with python2 in path and without python3 in path)

mvolz47

Damon:

I am just looking for some clarification on your last note in a previous reply "One thing to note, that makes your scripts not work (and could make you think something else is going on), is if your ArcGIS Pro Python Package Manager is pointing to the default environment".

Does this mean you need to clone the python environment on the Windows Server running the scheduled tasks even if you don't need any modules that are not in the default python environment?

DanielHuneycutt

All,

We were having issues running arcpy or arcgis modules on task scheduler on our 2016 windows server. It would error out because the script was running under the SYSTEM account and was not able to log into AGOL for the license. We tried to manually install Pro and switching to a single use license but this failed as well. Even when manually installing Pro and switching the license it did not work because the license install manager is installed in the user profile.

We finally found the answer!

We had to run cmd line install Pro with it pointing at a single use license. We have to run a command install to a place accessible by the SYSTEM account. This cleared up everything.

Tracy Wamsley‌

DamonPettitt

The scenario i've described is one where we're using the concurrent licensing. You just have to make sure you do step #3 in my above message (i.e. authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline).

For Windows Scheduled Task, we use this for the Program/Script value: "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\Scripts\propy.bat" and then the path to the script (UNC if on a server).

If this still doesn't get you going, let me know.

mvolz47

Damon:

Would you know in the scenario where you had concurrent use Pro licenses (instead of Named User licenses) if you would not need to borrow a license and just have the Windows Scheduled Task setup like it worked with ArcMap?

DamonPettitt

In case someone else stumbles across this thread, we are running our ArcGIS Pro, Python 3.x scripts on a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine (same machine that runs our ArcGIS Desktop/Python 2.x scripts) and it appears that you need to do a few things to be successful with running ArcGIS Pro/Python 3.x scripts:

1) Install latest version of ArcGIS Pro on the server where you're running the scripts. We're currently running ArcGIS Pro 2.3.3 at the time of this writing.

2) "Allow License Borrowing" on your ArcGIS License Server Administrator

3) On the server where you're running the scripts, log in as the user who will run the scripts, open up ArcGIS Pro, logged in as the user who will be calling this scheduled task, and go to backstage>>Licensing...and check the "Authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline" option. Otherwise, you have to have ArcGIS Pro set to sign in as a user automatically that is the same name as a named user in ArcGIS Online (we don't have Portal).

One thing to note, that makes your scripts not work (and could make you think something else is going on), is if your ArcGIS Pro Python Package Manager is pointing to the default environment and/or your Python environment doesn't have particular libraries installed that you may be referencing in your script. So make sure you've got all those libraries installed on whatever environment you've chose in ArcGIS Pro!

mvolz47

I think the OP was trying to run python scripts on Windows Server.

The following thread shows a solution for Pro, but it does require having the ability to upgrade to Windows Server 2016.

https://community.esri.com/message/696252-python-351-script-wont-run-via-windows-task-scheduler-when-user-logged-off

mvolz47

I think you will need to upgrade to 2016

RichardFairhurst

I just upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and found that the path I got from the Run Standalone Scriptshelp page that ran propy.bat in Task Scheduler under Windows 7 does not work under Windows 10.

"c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\scripts\propy.bat" works for me in Windows 7, but not in Windows 10.

c:\Progra~1\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\scripts\propy.bat works for both Windows 7 and Windows 10.

So Scott from City of Greenville was correct that the path from the help page didn't work, at least under Windows 10.

AdamChavez1

I use Windows Task Scheduler to call Powershell to call Python. (Not ArcGIS Pro workflow, but I believe you can adapt it.

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "\\somepathhere\GIS\Scripts\ORACLE_TO_SQL\oracle_to_sql.ps1"

I would suggest that you add a ton of random logging to a text file in the same directory to be sure it works!

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Yep, user is named user and has admin rights. Still doesn't work on 2012.

AllanBenvin_yyc

Make sure that the account the job is running under has a named user account with AGOL or if it is a service account then configure your batch server as a Concurrent Use license. This will eliminate the licensing issues on the batch server.

mvolz47

It's great that you were able to determine that it's the Windows Server OS that is the issue. It would appear then that organizations planning to upgrade their Windows Server environments to using Pro based python 3.x scripts will need to upgrade their servers to Windows Server 2016. I don't think ESRI has this in their documentation as a dependency.

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

It does appear to be an operating system issue as I ran it on another serving that's running Windows 2016 and it was successful. Seemingly everything else was the same (admin rights, etc.) I sent a message to our IT dept for some clarity as I'm not sure if there might be something specific to us or if it's specific to Windows 2012.

ThomasColson

The big question is, does the script run when using the account that will run it in task scheduler (right click run as)? Ever since I moved all my task scheduler stuff to Pro, nothing but a nightmare of scripts randomly failing, etc. I currently have one bug open related to pro py running as a scheduled task. Same scripts have worked fine in Arcmap for years. So it's not a windows issue. Also, has your IT person set this task up for you? There are a lot of permissions flaming hoops you have to jump through to get a scheduled task to run, and most users login does not allow it to run if you're logged off.

mvolz47

Do you have Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2?

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Yeah this is definitely related. When I select "Run only when user is logged on" it'll run. I wonder if it's OS as your first question alluded to? It seemed in that thread that people who were running Windows 2016 didn't have an issue.

Also, separately, what a rabbit hole. How is this not something that Tech Support doesn't want to jump into and solve and/or direct people to the appropriate resources?

JoshuaBixby

Not to ask the obvious, but you do have Pro configured for either offline use or to automatically sign in? And, has the profile/user/service that is running the scheduled task ever logged into Pro before?

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Oh, that's what those are

RichardFairhurst

It means you have to rewrite your script to be:

import arcpy
arcpy.management.CopyFeatures(r"C:\CityScripts\ScheduledTasks\SafewatchCameras\Data\General.gdb\SafewatchCameras", r"C:\CityScripts\ScheduledTasks\SafewatchCameras\Data\General.gdb\SafewatchCamerastemp2", None, None, None, None)<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

Notice I added an r in front of both your file paths. That makes it a raw string so that Python does not interpret the slashes as escape characters.

The set up I recommended was taken from the Esri website that explains how to Run Standalone Scripts. It works for running scripts on my local machine.

mvolz47

Here is another threads related to this issue:

Python 3.x Scheduled Task Fails

It provides insight on the problem, but I'm not sure it has been resolved.

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Same error.

This is how we (successfully) run all of our ArcMap based python scripts though.

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Joshua,

Yeah I agree, I was pretty disappointed. If we were three hours into the call and getting nowhere that would be one thing. Or at least maybe point me somewhere in the right direction.

I notice you are using non-escaped file paths. It is best to use either escaped paths or raw strings to prevent Python from misinterpreting any backslashes in your strings. You lost me here. I know enough Python to be dangerous but not sure what this means.

Does your script file run properly if you run it outside of a scheduled task? Had trouble testing this. I've been using PyScripter on this machine to run our other scripts (which are all ArcGIS 10.3, 2.x versions) and I don't understand how to test using the Python install that comes with Pro.

mvolz47

How about calling python.exe from it's installed location? For me it would be:

C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe would be the Program/script

and the py file would be the Add arguments.

Is the task configured to "Run with highest privileges"?

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Michael,

Windows Server 2012 Standard.

City_of_Greenville__SCGIS

Richard,

It throws an error when I run it like this.

RichardFairhurst

You should be using propy.bat, not just propy. This works for me:

Program/script:

"c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\scripts\propy.bat"

Add arguments (optional):

"C:\Users\Owner\Documents\Test.py"

I also agree that you should be using a raw string for the path and file name arguments in Python.

JoshuaBixby

To put it kindly, that response from Esri Support is rubbish (I had some other word choices but wasn't sure if the upcoming profanity filter would block them!).

I notice you are using non-escaped file paths. It is best to use either escaped paths or raw strings to prevent Python from misinterpreting any backslashes in your strings. Does your script file run properly if you run it outside of a scheduled task?

Have you tried running a Python script with no ArcPy calls but calling it the same (using C:\...\propy)?

mvolz47

Is this script being run on a desktop machine or a Windows Server? What is the operating system?

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