Hi everyone, I am trying to schedule a task to trigger when a specific file is opened. Is there not an option to do that or have i missed something?

Hi @Corbin Orth To help with your query You create a passive file screen to achieve this. Passive file screen enforcement allows the user to save the file, but notifies the user that the file is not an authorized file. You can also configure a file screen to run a command or script when a user tries to save an unauthorized file. Kindly check the link below for additional instructions and guidance. File Screening Management Scenarios http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755013(v=ws.10).aspx Screening Files http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732349(v=ws.10).aspx -- If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer.

Hello @Corbin Orth I don't think there's such an option "on specific file is opened". But this may be set on an event: The event based trigger determines the action to run after an event occurs. You can choose from a predefined list of events but you can also set a specific event. Here's a complete guide of Task scheduler : How to schedule tasks in Windows 10 (Note: This is a third-party link and we do not have any guarantees on this website. And Microsoft does not make any guarantees about the content.) Other reference article: Trigger Types Best Regards Karlie ---------- If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

Hi, on this note, is there a way for the trigger to be when I open google chrome? or I open microsoft edge?

Task scheduler trigger on app opened

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Limitless Technology 39,696 Reputation points

2022-03-31T11:06:58.7+00:00

Hi @Corbin Orth

To help with your query You create a passive file screen to achieve this. Passive file screen enforcement allows the user to save the file, but notifies the user that the file is not an authorized file. You can also configure a file screen to run a command or script when a user tries to save an unauthorized file.

Kindly check the link below for additional instructions and guidance.
File Screening Management Scenarios
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755013(v=ws.10).aspx

Screening Files
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732349(v=ws.10).aspx

--
If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer.
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Ron Allen 1 Reputation point

2022-11-22T17:08:08.143+00:00

Any way to do this on an end user (non-server) system?

Specifically looking for the triggers of an execution of a particular software package. e.g. Notepad.exe to then run a check on an INI file to see if the INI has been tampered with.

MotoX80 34,681 Reputation points

2022-11-22T20:07:46.057+00:00

A lot depends on the circumstances of your issue. IE; do you suspect that the desktop user is maliciously updating the file, and you need evidence to prove their involvement? Or do you suspect that some software is actually doing the update and the user is helping with the problem determination? It would be best if you asked your own question and defined what is going on. There are options like file system auditing, tracing with Process Monitor, or implementing a file system watcher might work for you.

Ron Allen 1 Reputation point

2022-11-22T20:12:06.007+00:00

Trying to trace a bug where the INI is getting wiped out - so "some software is actually doing the update" and I want to check on every launch of "application.exe"

So for every time Application.exe is opened- I want to run a check on the INI.

In the future this same trigger may be used to check the host INI against the latest server INI and update it accordingly.

MotoX80 34,681 Reputation points

2022-11-22T21:19:25.42+00:00

I'd start with Process Monitor. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

Set a filter for "path contains" and the name of the file.

That will capture any exe that writes to the file.

Ron Allen 1 Reputation point

2022-11-22T21:37:24.513+00:00

ProcMon would capture that - which is helpful, but the 2nd part I still need to know when it is launched so I can run the INI updater.

*Requires elevation which I don't have but am requesting.

MotoX80 34,681 Reputation points

2022-11-22T21:51:52.9+00:00

Can you set the file properties to read-only, or temporarily set the file security to read-only until you get the bug fixed?

Ron Allen 1 Reputation point

2022-11-22T21:55:59.7+00:00

Unfortunately no. The App that uses it stores recent file information and a few other semi-live references in there.

Thanks for the help and suggestions though! : )

I passed the ProcMon on to IT to see if they can run it in the background to find if any culprit other than the application itself is changing the file.

Alternatively Ican take the EXE I maid to monitor it and check every 5 minutes - but the ProcMon is probably the closest we will get for now.

There is still the issue of how to use an 'Application.exe' as a trigger in the launch event in the TaskScheduler. I recall doing it over a decade ago - but since have lost that how-to. I recall exiting the XML directly- was hoping to find that or a better UX answer here : )

MotoX80 34,681 Reputation points

2022-11-22T22:15:14.807+00:00

If you wrote a program, then add a file system watcher to it and check the file contents when that event triggers.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.io.filesystemwatcher?view=netframework-4.6

https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/uploadfile/puranindia/filesystemwatcher-in-C-Sharp/

Ron Allen 1 Reputation point

2022-11-22T22:16:06.337+00:00

Nice - Will take a look at that!
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