README

taskhost.exe

This is a very simple tool to run command-line tasks hidden and log their output.

I made it to run .cmd scripts as scheduled tasks under current user but without disturbing them.

What does it do?

At a glance:

taskhost /o backup.log // backup-www.cmd --hostname 192.168.1.1 --user admin

• Runs any arguments you pass to it hidden.
• Logs anything they output.
• Returns the same error code as the child.

Syntax

taskhost.exe [/params] [...] // <task> [task params] [...]

• /i <file> take input from this file
• /o <file> redirect output+errors to this file
• /e <file> redirect errors to this file.

Note: if you redirect one handle, you have to redirect them all, default input/output will be unavailable and the app may crash if it expects it.

• /l <file> log own messages to this file
• /appid <id> if i, o, e or l are given in parametrized form here or in config, this will be the parameter (otherwise executable file name)
• /show show the window

Config

Some of the settings may be preset in taskhost.cfg (or anyname.cfg if taskhost is renamed to anyname.exe):

Log=Logs\taskhost.log
# Use taskhost.log by default if no /l flag is given.

Parametrized form can be used. %s will be substituted for the script filename, or for /appid if it's passed on command-line:

Output=Logs\%s.log
Error=Logs\%s-errors.log

Running taskhost // backup-www.cmd will then put logs into Logs\backup-www.cmd.log and Logs\backup-www.cmd-errors.log. This way you can have one taskhost.exe servicing multiple scripts in a common way.

Supported keys:

Log=
Input=
Output=
Error=

Is this related to Windows taskhost.exe?

Nope.

Why did you call it like a Windows one then?

Lack of imagination (and there really wasn't a better name).