After two articles on how to create a task, for both beginners and advanced users, I continue our series on Task Scheduler with a tutorial about the commands which can be executed on an already created task. More precisely, I will show how to run a task on demand, how to end, disable, import, export and delete an existing task. I will share details on what are the effects of each of these commands, together with usage examples so you can make the best of this powerful tool - Task Scheduler.

Open Task Scheduler application. To learn how to do this, check out first steps in working with Task Scheduler.

How To Run or End a Task

Task Scheduler allows you to run a task on demand, before or after it was scheduled to run. First click on 'Task Scheduler Library' and look through the tasks listed there. If you cannot find the task you are searching for in this list, then navigate through the folders of the 'Task Scheduler Library' to find the task that you want to run.

Select the task and, from the right hand side panel, under 'Selected Item', click on Run.

You can run on demand a task only if it is enabled. If the task is disabled, the Run button will not be visible.

The task cannot be run if the 'Allow task to be run on demand' setting is not selected. In this case, the Run button is visible but, when you press it, you get a message like the one below.

To run the task on demand, select it and open its Properties. Then, go to the Settings tab and click the check box 'Allow task to be run on demand'.

You can stop a running task from completing its actions by ending it. Select the task and, under 'Selected item' click End.

If your task has selected the setting 'If the running task does not stop when requested, force it to stop', the task will be forced to end if it doesn't stop when you try to end it. You can make this setting by going to the task's Properties, the Settings tab and check 'If the running task does not stop when requested, force it to stop'.

How To Enable, Disable or Delete a Task

To stop a task from running for a certain period of time, you can disable it. When a task is disabled it will not run on schedule nor on demand but it will remain in Task Library. A disabled task can be enabled at any time. Select the task you are interested in and click Disable under the 'Selected item' panel.

If a task is disabled, you can enable it. This way, the task will run on schedule and it can be run on demand. Click the task you want to enable and, press the Enable button, in the 'Selected item' panel.

If you no longer want to run a task, you can delete it. This action will completely remove the task from 'Task Library'. Pick the task to be deleted and, in the 'Selected Item' click Delete.

How To Import and Export A Task

Task Scheduler allows you to export a task so it can be imported and used by other users and computers. The task is exported into an XML file which contains all the properties of the task, triggers, actions, conditions and setting. To export a task, click the Export button.

Select the name for your exported task and a location.

To import a task, you need to know the location of the XML file to which the task was exported. Click the 'Import task' button under the Actions panel to use and run the task.

After you select the XML file, the task is imported and the task's properties open, allowing you to make any additional changes.

Conclusion

As you can see from this tutorial, it is pretty to do all the things shown above. For more information regarding Task Scheduler don't hesitate to leave a comment and check-out the articles recommended below.

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First Steps in Working With Task Scheduler
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