NBSchedule - running Newsbin time related tasks

[itimpi]

NBSchedule is a program designed to add support for time related options to Newsbin. There has been discussion about this facility possibly being built into a future Newsbin 5 release, but in the meantime I have developed NBSchedule to fill that gap.

This type of automation is one that Newsbin users have been requesting for some time. The need for such facilities has become more urgent as many ISP's (mine included) are starting to introduce monthly download caps. Some of them allow unrestricted downloads at certain times of day, and NBSchedule allows you to set up Newsbin to work well within such constraints. There is also support for both hiding Newsbin and minimising NBSchedule to the Systray for those who do not want their Taskbar cluttered while these programs are running in the background.

NBSchedule is targetted primarily at Newsbin 5, but a level of functionality is also avaiable for use with other versions - in particular 4.33B6. As an example the "Minimise to Systray" option works with all Newsbin versions.

[joao_miguel48]

Hi

NBSchedule is a very nice tool. But...

Is possible to make a new task like auto shutdown the computer if there are no more downloads or any activity to do?


Thanks.

[itimpi]

Not that I can think off, as I do not know of an easy way to detect if Newsbin has anything let to do. However I will think on it in case something occurs to me.

[itimpi]

Just to let anyone who might be interested in using NBSchedule know that I have recently updated the install package so it installs correctly on both Vista and Windows 7.

[ncmikey]

Just to let anyone who might be interested in using NBSchedule know that I have recently updated the install package so it installs correctly on both Vista and Windows 7.

I have been a long time user of NBSchedule to schedule my DLs at night when I am sleeping. However, the last week or so I have noticed that it failed to "unpause" NewsBin at the appointed time. I closed and reopened both NBSchedule and NBPro with the same result. I checked and noticed a later ver of NBSchedule (4.7), so I installed it thinking maybe something got corrupted. It still fails to unpause NBPro. Have you seen this before and/or do you have any suggestions for troubleshooting the problem?

BTW I am using winXP SP3, NBPro ver 5.51 and NBSchedule 0.4.7

[itimpi]

I have not seen that behavior. I am running NB 5.54 but other than that there is no difference - and the NB version should not matter. I have my NB set to pause/unpause around the times when my ISP has capping active and that is working OK for me.

The 0.4.7 release has a button on the main screen to make it easy to view your NBSchedule Log file. You might want to have a look there to see if any errors are being reported.

The fact that it was working and has stopped suggests an external factor. You have not by any chance installed any software that might be blocking access to Newsbin? You could always test that communication is working OK by going to the NBSchedule Options->Interface tab and use the "Test" button to check communication.

Other than that all I can suggest is that you have the logging level set to diagnostic shortly before NB should be unpaused and send the log file to me to see if I can spot anything. You are welcome to look through that file yourself to see if anything can be spotted, but it may not mean much to you if you have not also downloaded the source code. Note that you do not want to leave the logging level at diagnostic as it can generate a lot of output

[ncmikey]

I have not seen that behavior. I am running NB 5.54 but other than that there is no difference - and the NB version should not matter. I have my NB set to pause/unpause around the times when my ISP has capping active and that is working OK for me.

The 0.4.7 release has a button on the main screen to make it easy to view your NBSchedule Log file. You might want to have a look there to see if any errors are being reported.

The fact that it was working and has stopped suggests an external factor. You have not by any chance installed any software that might be blocking access to Newsbin? You could always test that communication is working OK by going to the NBSchedule Options->Interface tab and use the "Test" button to check communication.

Other than that all I can suggest is that you have the logging level set to diagnostic shortly before NB should be unpaused and send the log file to me to see if I can spot anything. You are welcome to look through that file yourself to see if anything can be spotted, but it may not mean much to you if you have not also downloaded the source code. Note that you do not want to leave the logging level at diagnostic as it can generate a lot of output

I haven't installed any new apps in the last few weeks. This morning I decided to DL the latest ver of NBPro (5.54) and thought it might be a good idea to just reboot the machine while I was at it. As you probably guessed NBSchedule is now working as before. One of those gremlins I guess. I have a habit of letting XP run for weeks on end w/o a reboot so I guess something got corrupted causing NBSchedule to not work properly. Thanks for your prompt response. BTW you have a great little app here. Are there any thoughts to incorporating your functionality into NBPro as a standard feature?

[itimpi]

I haven't installed any new apps in the last few weeks. This morning I decided to DL the latest ver of NBPro (5.54) and thought it might be a good idea to just reboot the machine while I was at it. As you probably guessed NBSchedule is now working as before.

Glad to hear it - I could not think what might suddenly make things go wrong. I have been thinking of adding a "Troubleshooting" section to the documentation and must not forget to mention the reboot option.

BTW you have a great little app here.

Just to mention that sometime in the next few days I will be releasing a 0.5 release. Added some new options around closedown as a result of some requests well as tidying up a number of small issues/problems. I am always welcome to ideas that it might be sensible to incorporate into NBSchedule so feel free to raise any requests for features you might like to see. I do not promise to accept them but will at least consider them and decide how easy/difficult they would be to add.

Are there any thoughts to incorporating your functionality into NBPro as a standard feature?

Quade has been talking about having a built-in scheduler but seems to keep getting distracted adding functionality around the basic download/check/decode cycle. Until it arrives I will keep NBSchedule going.

One big advantage is that NBSchedule is developed independently and does not detract from development of the core system. In fact I would like to see the TCP/IP Command Interface that NBSchedule uses expanded in a few areas so more functionality can be provided via add-on apps.

[itimpi]

Just thought I would mention that the 0.5.0 release is now available for download from my web site. There are a raft of small improvements and bug fixes as mentioned in the Change History at the end of the online documentation.

[ozzii]

Thanks for your work

[TheAdmin]

Since NewsBin can be configured to look in a specific directory for incoming *.NZB's (and other great cfg options like speed limiting etc...)

Wouldn't it be possible to run NewsBin as a SERVICE using that program called SRVANY??? (can't remember the exact file name)

I know this post is off topic but certainly using NBSchedule or running NewsBin as a service (if possible) could be worthy of a separate Tips & Tricks section?
(would need detailed configuration instructions and testing etc.)

[Wanderer]

Does this work with the new V6 Newbin, as I tried it out and when the start time clicked over newbin just sat there and the download did not unpause even tho I had set the unpause option in the schedule (either that or I did something wrong)

[Quade]

You have to make sure remote control is enabled in the options. It should still be working.

You can test it by telneting into the loopback interface port 118. I use "Putty" and set up a raw session to loopback and 118. You can actually manually remote control that way.

"netstat -ant" should show something listening on 118. You might have to tell your firewall to let Newsbin open a listening port.

[Wanderer]

Many thanks, I will try it out

[itimpi]

It definitely works OK as long as NB let's you connect as I use it all the time. Note that you now have to explicitly allow Remote control. I perhaps need to update the NBSchedule documentation with an appropriate screenshot of the correct Newsbin settings for this.

You can test things out by selecting the pause/unpause type tasks and hit the Run button to run the task immediately rather than at the scheduled time. If for any reason a task does not run OK there should be an indication in the NBSchedule log file as to the reason.

[Wanderer]

Hmmm, something not right....

log says:
5/09/2011 4:11:58 p.m. [STANDARD] Running UnPause File Downloads
5/09/2011 4:11:58 p.m. [DETAILED] Type=4 Id=3 Command: PAUSE OFF, Start at 5/09/2011 5:00:00 p.m. run once
5/09/2011 4:11:58 p.m. [STANDARD] Command: PAUSE OFF
5/09/2011 4:11:58 p.m. [STANDARD] Completed UnPause File Downloads
5/09/2011 4:11:58 p.m. [DETAILED] Type=4 Id=3 Command: PAUSE OFF, Start at 5/09/2011 5:00:00 p.m. run once
5/09/2011 4:12:08 p.m. [DETAILED] Viewing Log file 'N:\NBSchedule\NBSchedule.log '

but newsbin does not get unpaused...
In options if I hit test on the TCP details I get a "test successful" message..

The thing I guess I am missing is the "remote Control" that you mentioned in your last message

[Quade]

Looks like it's working to me. That particular pause and unpause only unpauses Newsbin as a whole, not the files already in the download list. You ought to be able to see the pause button on the toolbar highlight and the "Pause" indicator on the status bar. As long as you haven't manually paused the files in the download list, it should work.


200 Newsbin Server 6.10RC2
pause on
253 Download Paused
pause off
254 Download Resumed
pause on
253 Download Paused

When I hand type the commands in.

Remote control is another layer of commands that lets you manage the downloads remotely in far more detail than the old way. For example you can list the the download list and add files to download from an iPhone.

[Wanderer]

ohhh ok, thank you for that, I thought the unpause was for the files.. (silly me)
I will try again and see what happens

EDIT: IT WORKS - thank you very much for your help....

[amanoDirect]

Thanks buddy but time is most important for our life.