Unexpected exception when creating a new Task Schedule using Altiris Task Server

Products

• IT Management Suite
• Task Server

Issue/Introduction

Altiris Task Server includes an action called "Schedule a task or Job" which allows Tasks and Jobs to be scheduled for runtime in the future. When this action is run, the Altiris administrator is asked to provide a Name for the schedule. The problem occurs when the Name specified by the administrator includes a special character such as slashes (\ /), a question mark (?), an exclamation mark (!), a less-than sign (<), or a greater-than sign (>).

In the screenshot below, an example of how to re-create this problem is shown. Notice that the Name of the task includes special characters:

As soon as the administrator clicks on the OK button to schedule the task, the Notification Server a.log records the following error:

Log File Name: X:\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\Logs\a.log
Priority: 1
Date: <DATE AND TIME>
Tick Count: 40103968
Host Name: <NAME OF NS>
Process: w3wp.exe (3536)
Thread ID: 3728
Module: AltirisNativeHelper.dll
Source: Altiris.TaskManagement.Web.TaskScheduleMaintenance.OK_Click
Description: Unexpected exception creating new task schedule ( Unhandled exception.  Type=Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException Msg=Unable to update the scheduling information associated with the item Src=Altiris.NS
StackTrace=
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.Item.NotifyItemScheduler(ItemNotificationType notificationType, String oldItemName)
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.Item.OnSave(Boolean bExistingItem)
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.ManagementItem.OnSave(Boolean bExistingItem)
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.Item.Save()
   at Altiris.TaskManagement.Web.TaskScheduleMaintenance.OK_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

Inner exception.  Type=Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException Msg=Unable to update the scheduling data associated with the item  Src=Altiris.NS StackTrace=   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.ItemScheduleMonitor.Notify(ItemNotificationType type, IItem item, String oldItemName)
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.Item.NotifyItemScheduler(ItemNotificationType notificationType, String oldItemName)

Inner exception.  Type=System.IO.FileNotFoundException Msg=Task not found  Src=Altiris.ScheduleMgr.1 StackTrace=   at CEScheduleMgrLib.ScheduleMgrClass.SetTask(String TaskName, String TaskData, Boolean CreateAlways)
   at Altiris.NS.ItemManagement.ItemScheduleMonitor.Notify(ItemNotificationType type, IItem item, String oldItemName)

Cause

Special characters such as mentioned above are not supported when creating the name for Task Server Scheduled Tasks. The only valid names for Task Server Scheduled tasks are alphanumerics. Spaces in the name are also allowed.

Resolution

Removing any special characters will allow the job to be saved and the Task will run at the scheduled time.

Continuing with the example from the Problem section of this article, the following screenshot shows a properly formatted name that will work successfully:

Applies To
Notification Server 6.x
Task Server 6.x