Frog SIMS Extractor

[mikelj99]

Using 2.6.17

Just as a sanity check, has anybody been able to run this as a scheduled task ?

Runs OK interactively but scheduling results in almost immediate crash with access violation (on XP and Win 2008 R2)

Cheers

[AliG]

On the scheduled task we had to add the "start in" path before it worked as a scheduled task, it would work when run manually which threw us

[sjatkn]

Not yet, I have been having problems with this. Frogs idea was the same as AliG's but that did not work for me. Support tried to remote in but their software did not work, apparently they have a lot of problems with schools and remote access! I really must get back onto them and see if there is another way to let them in.

 

If you do find a solution please post back I need to get this working.

[mthomas08]

Using 2.6.17

Just as a sanity check, has anybody been able to run this as a scheduled task ?

Runs OK interactively but scheduling results in almost immediate crash with access violation (on XP and Win 2008 R2)

Cheers

 

Strange, for us this was setup as a Schedule and every time it does crash I update it and away it goes. I do check on it every now and then to make sure all is okay (like everything else).

 

If you do have issues just try grabbing the most recent one from the Community Tech Support section although we are currently running version 2.6.17 which is the latest one from the site. Although I hear that if you contact support they do have higher versions, I think they hold them back to avoid causing more problems and to test them.

 

Ours runs every night at 2pm which is after our SIMs backups etc etc.

[sjatkn]

I may have just fixed the problem. I will confirm this tomorrow I hope.

 

At the request of Frog I changed the command to "c:\program files (x86)\Frog\SIMS Extractor\SIMSExtractor.exe" with no parameters. This did not work.

 

In a "I wonder what will happen" moment I did make a changed which seems to be working. In the general tab of the task I have ticked "Run with highest privileges" and re-run the task manually. This time the last run result is showing as 0x41301 which is apparently a code for the task is running. Looking in task manager I see the "SIMS Extractor" task running.

[sjatkn]

Having checked the logs I have indeed managed to get my SIMS Extractor scheduled task running.

 

I do believe that the key to the fix was setting "Run with highest privileges", but for completeness I will list all the settings I have in the task, just in case it was a combination of items.

 

General Tab.

Run whether user is logged on or not.

Do not store password is left UNset.

Run with highest privileges is set.

 

Triggers.

Daily @ 6am. Enabled.

 

Action.

Start a program.

Program / script: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Frog\SIMS Extractor\SIMSExtractor.exe" (with quotes)

Arguments: Leave blank.

Start in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Frog\SIMS Extractor (without quotes)

 

Conditions.

Start the task only if the computer is idle: UNset.

Start the task only if the computer is on AC: Set.

Stop if the computer switches to battery: Set.

Wake the computer: UNset.

Start only if the following network connection is available: UNset.

 

Settings.

Allow task to be run on demand: Set

Run ask as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed: UNset.

If the task fails: UNset

Stop the task if it runs longer than 1hr: Set.

If the running task does not end: Set.

If the task is not scheduled to run again: UNset

If the task is already running: Do not start a new instance.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Now I have resolved that problem I am off to prod Frog about the numerous other bugs I have found. I wonder if they have fixed the issue I reported to them in January 2011 (no not a typo) and still not resolved.

Edited March 16, 2012 by sjatkn

[frogwoman]

Now I have resolved that problem I am off to prod Frog about the numerous other bugs I have found. I wonder if they have fixed the issue I reported to them in January 2011 (no not a typo) and still not resolved.

 

Good luck - and congratulations on it still being open, I'm surprised they haven't reclassified it as a feature request and told you to put it in the ideapad.

 

But as we have all been told several times, they have more staff and it's going to get better.

 

Here's hoping......

 

And on a more positive note, I've downloaded and installed my Olympic portal

[mthomas08]

Good luck - and congratulations on it still being open, I'm surprised they haven't reclassified it as a feature request and told you to put it in the ideapad.

 

But as we have all been told several times, they have more staff and it's going to get better.

 

Here's hoping......

 

And on a more positive note, I've downloaded and installed my Olympic portal

 

Same

 

Must say its very nice, made the changes and voila. I also dont seem to be suffering from what pains a few others are, I had two issues last week phoned up and both sorted out within 5-10 minutes.

[mikelj99]

Cheers - that matches our settings and I'm still being told that changes made in SIMS aren't getting to Frog. Also noted that the task when run manually takes about an hour; the scheduled task finishes within 15 minutes...

[mikelj99]

Actually looking at event log it would seem that SIMSExtractor crashes (.Net runtime error) !

[sjatkn]

Cheers - that matches our settings and I'm still being told that changes made in SIMS aren't getting to Frog. Also noted that the task when run manually takes about an hour; the scheduled task finishes within 15 minutes...

 

It would probably be worth checking the logs in c:\program files (x86)\Frog\Logs (I think). I had also had a similar problem of the files not getting to Frog when run either manually or from the scheduled task. I discovered that I was getting 504 Gateway timeout errors, I reported this to Frog and have not had a solution yet though they did suggest using a different server address.

 

Something strange is going on with the importer. If I configure the importer to use www.knutsfordhs.cheshire.sch.uk then validate server works but if I use www.knutsford.local or the Frog server IP address then it fails with a 504 Gateway timeout error. Both DNS entries resolve to the Frog server IP address!

 

In our case the 6am scheduled task the uploads more reliably than if manual upload is run during the working day.

Edited March 19, 2012 by sjatkn

[mthomas08]

Does the nightly import work alright?

[frogwoman]

I too have had problem with this version of the extractor. Mine would start wait 30 seconds not get a response back from the sims server and timeout. The upshot of this was I moved the schedule time - once started at 7pm in the evening and not 1am all worked like a charm.

 

Now I know that this looks and sounds very like our sims server is obviouly busy at 1am but I could find nothing and sql logging over several days and various other performance monitoring tools found nothing. The only change on our system was the updated extractor. After weeks of tooing and froing with Frog support I opted for the less stress and easy option and negociated a permanent schedule change time with our internal IT support people.

 

Part of me feels a failure for not getting to the bottom of this, the rational part thinks lifes too short.......

[sjatkn]

Does the nightly import work alright?

When I last looked at the importer logs it seems that it was working. In my case I am running the import at 6am, if I run it manually during the day then it fails.

[sjatkn]

After weeks of tooing and froing with Frog support I opted for the less stress and easy option and negociated a permanent schedule change time with our internal IT support people.

 

Part of me feels a failure for not getting to the bottom of this, the rational part thinks lifes too short.......

I get the same feeling, still no reply from Frog about my 16 month old bug. I must get round to making some Frog stickers for my office wall so I can tally up the number of Frog bugs I have found and reported for killing, or perhaps not as my wall may not be big enough.