Examples of Period Objects

Period objects allow you to build simple to complex recurring execution schedules. The following examples combine settings in a period object to set up recurring executions for different situations.

Example: Setting combinations with an interval frequency

You want to execute an object so that it runs recurrently, with executions that start at regular, 15-minute intervals on the quarter hour. One overlap is allowed, should a previous execution not be finished by the next quarter-hour. These executions should run only in the night, when server load is lower, and only on weekday nights.

  • Settings on the Period page

    Assume that, at 21:50 (9:50 PM) on a Thursday, you start a recurring execution with the following period object definition:

    • Period
      • Start: Today
      • End: Never
    • Frequency
      • Intervals of every 15 minutes
      • Between 22:00 and 4:59 (10:00 PM and 4:59 AM the next day)
      • Allow One Overlap: Checked
      • Initial Start Time: Checked
    • Days
      • Execute every week on Monday through Friday

    Screenshot of a Period object with the parameters described in the example

  • Resulting executions

    • The first run will be at 22:00 (10:00 PM) because Initial Start Time is checked and the intervals are 15 minutes.
    • Runs will continue all through the night at 15-minute intervals, stopping after the run that starts at 4:45.
    • On Friday, the object executes 8 times because it runs every 15-minutes from 20:00 to 23:45 and stops because Saturday is not included. The next executions starts on Monday at 22:00.
    • If an execution takes longer than 15 minutes to run, then the next execution is skipped because Allow One Overlap is not checked.

Example: Setting combinations with consecutive runs with a buffer time

You want to execute an object so that it runs recurrently 100 times, but only during a few hours in the early morning, and not on bank holidays. The executions should start 30 minutes after the previous one ends.

  • Settings on the Period page

    Assume that, at 00:45 (12:45 AM) on December 15th, you start a recurring execution with the following period object definition:

    • Period
      • Start: Today (December 15)
      • End: After 100 runs
    • Frequency
      • Start after previous run ends plus 30 minutes
      • Between 1:00 and 2:59 (1:00 and 2:59 AM)
      • Initial Start Time: Not checked
    • Days
      • Execute according to calendar conditions that define all days except bank holidays.

    Screenshot of a Period object with the parameters described in the example

  • Resulting executions

    • If the executions that use this period run consistently for 5 minutes, then the executions would start each day at:
      • 00:45 (12:45 AM)
      • 01:20 (00:45 (start) + 00:05 (run) + 00:30 (wait))
      • 01:55 (01:30 (start) + 00:05 (run) + 00:30 (wait))
      • 02:30 (01:55 (start) + 00:05 (run) + 00:30 (wait))
    • On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, no executions will run.
    • After a 100 executions have started, no more will be started. The period will have ended.

See also:

Period (PERIOD)