Windows Mobile Scheduled Tasks

Scheduling Windows Mobile Apps for Background Processing

In the world of mobile application development, providing functionality that runs seamlessly in the background is crucial for enhancing user experience. If you are developing a Windows Mobile application, such as an email client that checks for new emails every hour, you may find yourself asking: How do you schedule a Windows Mobile application to periodically start up for background processing?

This blog post will guide you through the solution step-by-step, highlighting the essential functions and best practices to implement scheduling effectively.

The Solution: Utilizing Specific Functions

To achieve periodic execution within your Windows Mobile app, you’ll be working with a couple of key functions provided by the API:

  • CeRunAppAtTime(appname, time)
  • CeRunAppAtEvent

These functions help schedule your application to start at predefined intervals or events, making it easy for your app to perform necessary tasks.

1. Understanding the Functions

CeRunAppAtTime(appname, time)

  • Purpose: This function allows you to specify a name for your app and the exact time for it to run.
  • Usage: You will use this primarily for setting up a specific time for your app to execute its background tasks, such as periodically checking for emails.

CeRunAppAtEvent

  • Purpose: This function schedules your app to run based on specific events rather than a fixed time.
  • Usage: Useful in scenarios where you want your app to react to certain triggers rather than simple clock-based scheduling.

2. Implementation Steps

Implementing periodic tasks in your Windows Mobile app can be broken down into simple steps:

Step 1: Schedule Your App

When your app starts, schedule the next execution by using either CeRunAppAtTime or CeRunAppAtEvent. This ensures that your app will reschedule itself for its next run every time it runs:

CeRunAppAtTime("YourAppName", nextExecutionTime);

Step 2: Handle Instances

When your application is already running and a new schedule triggers it, you want to ensure that the already running instance is brought to the foreground rather than starting a new process. The platform typically handles this for you, but handling arguments that distinguish between a scheduled vs. normal start can be an important consideration.

3. Best Practices

  • Reschedule Regularly: Every time your task runs, carefully reschedule it to avoid overlaps and missed executions.
  • Minimize Resource Usage: Since background tasks can consume memory and battery life, ensure that your scheduled tasks are efficient.
  • Testing: Thoroughly test scheduling in various scenarios to ensure that your app behaves correctly whether it’s running or not when the scheduled time occurs.

Conclusion

With the right functions and a solid understanding of scheduling mechanics on Windows Mobile, you can successfully implement periodic tasks in your applications. By using CeRunAppAtTime and CeRunAppAtEvent, you can ensure that essential tasks like checking for emails are executed smoothly and efficiently, even when your application is not actively running.

Now, go ahead and bring your Windows Mobile app to life with reliable background processing!