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[PATCH v3 4/4] maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasks

From
Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Nov 13, 2020, 14:00 UTC
Message-ID
<ed7a61978fe9dce26ca459b5a86490c15e470698.1605276024.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.776.v3.git.1605276024.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Derrick Stolee <dstolee@microsoft.com>

Git's background maintenance uses cron by default, but this is not available on Windows. Instead, integrate with Task Scheduler.

Tasks can be scheduled using the 'schtasks' command. There are several command-line options that can allow for some advanced scheduling, but unfortunately these seem to all require authenticating using a password.

Instead, use the "/xml" option to pass an XML file that contains the configuration for the necessary schedule. These XML files are based on some that I exported after constructing a schedule in the Task Scheduler GUI. These options only run background maintenance when the user is logged in, and more fields are populated with the current username and SID at run-time by 'schtasks'.

There is a deficiency in the current design. Windows has two kinds of applications: GUI applications that start by "winmain()" and console applications that start by "main()". Console applications are attached to a new Console window if they are not already associated with a GUI application. This means that every hour the scheudled task launches a command window for the scheduled tasks. Not only is this visually obtrusive, but it also takes focus from whatever else the user is doing!

A simple fix would be to insert a GUI application that acts as a shim between the scheduled task and Git. This is currently possible in Git for Windows by setting the <Command> tag equal to

  C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe

with options "--hide --no-needs-console --command=cmd\git.exe" followed by the arguments currently used. Since git-bash.exe is not included in Windows builds of core Git, I chose to leave out this feature. My plan is to submit a small patch to Git for Windows that converts the use of git.exe with this use of git-bash.exe in the short term. In the long term, we can consider creating this GUI shim application within core Git, perhaps in contrib/.

Helped-by: Eric Sunshine <sunshine@sunshineco.com>
Signed-off-by: Derrick Stolee <dstolee@microsoft.com>
---
 Documentation/git-maintenance.txt |  22 ++++
 builtin/gc.c                      | 184 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 t/t7900-maintenance.sh            |  33 +++++-
 3 files changed, 236 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
index 5f8f63f098..6970f2b898 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
@@ -313,6 +313,28 @@ To create more advanced customizations to your background tasks, see
 launchctl.plist(5) for more information.
 
 
+BACKGROUND MAINTENANCE ON WINDOWS SYSTEMS
+-----------------------------------------
+
+Windows does not support `cron` and instead has its own system for
+scheduling background tasks. The `git maintenance start` command uses
+the `schtasks` command to submit tasks to this system. You can inspect
+all background tasks using the Task Scheduler application. The tasks
+added by Git have names of the form `Git Maintenance (<frequency>)`.
+The Task Scheduler GUI has ways to inspect these tasks, but you can also
+export the tasks to XML files and view the details there.
+
+Note that since Git is a console application, these background tasks
+create a console window visible to the current user. This can be changed
+manually by selecting the "Run whether user is logged in or not" option
+in Task Scheduler. This change requires a password input, which is why
+`git maintenance start` does not select it by default.
+
+If you want to customize the background tasks, please rename the tasks
+so future calls to `git maintenance (start|stop)` do not overwrite your
+custom tasks.
+
+
 GIT
 ---
 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index da2c892f68..76a3afa20a 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -1684,6 +1684,190 @@ static int platform_update_schedule(int run_maintenance, int fd)
 	else
 		return remove_plists();
 }
+
+#elif defined(GIT_WINDOWS_NATIVE)
+
+static const char *get_frequency(enum schedule_priority schedule)
+{
+	switch (schedule) {
+	case SCHEDULE_HOURLY:
+		return "hourly";
+	case SCHEDULE_DAILY:
+		return "daily";
+	case SCHEDULE_WEEKLY:
+		return "weekly";
+	default:
+		BUG("invalid schedule %d", schedule);
+	}
+}
+
+static char *get_task_name(const char *frequency)
+{
+	struct strbuf label = STRBUF_INIT;
+	strbuf_addf(&label, "Git Maintenance (%s)", frequency);
+	return strbuf_detach(&label, NULL);
+}
+
+static int remove_task(enum schedule_priority schedule)
+{
+	int result;
+	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
+	const char *frequency = get_frequency(schedule);
+	char *name = get_task_name(frequency);
+	const char *schtasks = getenv("GIT_TEST_CRONTAB");
+	if (!schtasks)
+		schtasks = "schtasks";
+
+	strvec_split(&args, schtasks);
+	strvec_pushl(&args, "/delete", "/tn", name, "/f", NULL);
+
+	result = run_command_v_opt(args.v, 0);
+
+	strvec_clear(&args);
+	free(name);
+	return result;
+}
+
+static int remove_scheduled_tasks(void)
+{
+	return remove_task(SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		remove_task(SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		remove_task(SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
+}
+
+static int schedule_task(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority schedule)
+{
+	int result;
+	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+	const char *xml, *schtasks;
+	char *xmlpath, *tempDir;
+	FILE *xmlfp;
+	const char *frequency = get_frequency(schedule);
+	char *name = get_task_name(frequency);
+
+	tempDir = xstrfmt("%s/temp", the_repository->objects->odb->path);
+	xmlpath =  xstrfmt("%s/schedule-%s.xml", tempDir, frequency);
+	safe_create_leading_directories(xmlpath);
+	xmlfp = xfopen(xmlpath, "w");
+
+	xml = "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-16\"?>\n"
+	      "<Task version=\"1.4\" xmlns=\"http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2004/02/mit/task\">\n"
+	      "<Triggers>\n"
+	      "<CalendarTrigger>\n";
+	fprintf(xmlfp, xml);
+
+	switch (schedule) {
+	case SCHEDULE_HOURLY:
+		fprintf(xmlfp,
+			"<StartBoundary>2020-01-01T01:00:00</StartBoundary>\n"
+			"<Enabled>true</Enabled>\n"
+			"<ScheduleByDay>\n"
+			"<DaysInterval>1</DaysInterval>\n"
+			"</ScheduleByDay>\n"
+			"<Repetition>\n"
+			"<Interval>PT1H</Interval>\n"
+			"<Duration>PT23H</Duration>\n"
+			"<StopAtDurationEnd>false</StopAtDurationEnd>\n"
+			"</Repetition>\n");
+		break;
+
+	case SCHEDULE_DAILY:
+		fprintf(xmlfp,
+			"<StartBoundary>2020-01-01T00:00:00</StartBoundary>\n"
+			"<Enabled>true</Enabled>\n"
+			"<ScheduleByWeek>\n"
+			"<DaysOfWeek>\n"
+			"<Monday />\n"
+			"<Tuesday />\n"
+			"<Wednesday />\n"
+			"<Thursday />\n"
+			"<Friday />\n"
+			"<Saturday />\n"
+			"</DaysOfWeek>\n"
+			"<WeeksInterval>1</WeeksInterval>\n"
+			"</ScheduleByWeek>\n");
+		break;
+
+	case SCHEDULE_WEEKLY:
+		fprintf(xmlfp,
+			"<StartBoundary>2020-01-01T00:00:00</StartBoundary>\n"
+			"<Enabled>true</Enabled>\n"
+			"<ScheduleByWeek>\n"
+			"<DaysOfWeek>\n"
+			"<Sunday />\n"
+			"</DaysOfWeek>\n"
+			"<WeeksInterval>1</WeeksInterval>\n"
+			"</ScheduleByWeek>\n");
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
+	xml=  "</CalendarTrigger>\n"
+	      "</Triggers>\n"
+	      "<Principals>\n"
+	      "<Principal id=\"Author\">\n"
+	      "<LogonType>InteractiveToken</LogonType>\n"
+	      "<RunLevel>LeastPrivilege</RunLevel>\n"
+	      "</Principal>\n"
+	      "</Principals>\n"
+	      "<Settings>\n"
+	      "<MultipleInstancesPolicy>IgnoreNew</MultipleInstancesPolicy>\n"
+	      "<Enabled>true</Enabled>\n"
+	      "<Hidden>true</Hidden>\n"
+	      "<UseUnifiedSchedulingEngine>true</UseUnifiedSchedulingEngine>\n"
+	      "<WakeToRun>false</WakeToRun>\n"
+	      "<ExecutionTimeLimit>PT72H</ExecutionTimeLimit>\n"
+	      "<Priority>7</Priority>\n"
+	      "</Settings>\n"
+	      "<Actions Context=\"Author\">\n"
+	      "<Exec>\n"
+	      "<Command>\"%s\\git.exe\"</Command>\n"
+	      "<Arguments>--exec-path=\"%s\" for-each-repo --config=maintenance.repo maintenance run --schedule=%s</Arguments>\n"
+	      "</Exec>\n"
+	      "</Actions>\n"
+	      "</Task>\n";
+	fprintf(xmlfp, xml, exec_path, exec_path, frequency);
+	fclose(xmlfp);
+
+	schtasks = getenv("GIT_TEST_CRONTAB");
+	if (!schtasks)
+		schtasks = "schtasks";
+	strvec_split(&child.args, schtasks);
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "/create", "/tn", name, "/f", "/xml", xmlpath, NULL);
+
+	child.no_stdout = 1;
+	child.no_stderr = 1;
+
+	if (start_command(&child))
+		die(_("failed to start schtasks"));
+	result = finish_command(&child);
+
+	unlink(xmlpath);
+	rmdir(tempDir);
+	free(xmlpath);
+	free(name);
+	return result;
+}
+
+static int add_scheduled_tasks(void)
+{
+	const char *exec_path = git_exec_path();
+
+	return schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
+}
+
+static int platform_update_schedule(int run_maintenance, int fd)
+{
+	if (run_maintenance)
+		return add_scheduled_tasks();
+	else
+		return remove_scheduled_tasks();
+}
+
 #else
 #define BEGIN_LINE "# BEGIN GIT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE"
 #define END_LINE "# END GIT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE"
diff --git a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
index 29d340a828..0dc2479117 100755
--- a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
+++ b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ test_expect_success 'register and unregister' '
 	test_cmp before actual
 '
 
-test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'start from empty cron table' '
+test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE,!MINGW 'start from empty cron table' '
 	GIT_TEST_CRONTAB="test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start &&
 
 	# start registers the repo
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'start from empty cron table' '
 	grep "for-each-repo --config=maintenance.repo maintenance run --schedule=weekly" cron.txt
 '
 
-test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'stop from existing schedule' '
+test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE,!MINGW 'stop from existing schedule' '
 	GIT_TEST_CRONTAB="test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance stop &&
 
 	# stop does not unregister the repo
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'stop from existing schedule' '
 	test_must_be_empty cron.txt
 '
 
-test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'start preserves existing schedule' '
+test_expect_success !MACOS_MAINTENANCE,!MINGW 'start preserves existing schedule' '
 	echo "Important information!" >cron.txt &&
 	GIT_TEST_CRONTAB="test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start &&
 	grep "Important information!" cron.txt
@@ -437,6 +437,33 @@ test_expect_success MACOS_MAINTENANCE 'start and stop macOS maintenance' '
 	test_line_count = 0 actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success MINGW 'start and stop Windows maintenance' '
+	write_script print-args <<-\EOF &&
+	echo $* >>args
+	EOF
+
+	rm -f args &&
+	GIT_TEST_CRONTAB="/bin/sh print-args" git maintenance start &&
+
+	# start registers the repo
+	git config --get --global maintenance.repo "$(pwd)" &&
+
+	printf "/create /tn Git Maintenance (%s) /f /xml .git/objects/temp/schedule-%s.xml\n" \
+		hourly hourly daily daily weekly weekly >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect args &&
+
+	rm -f args &&
+	GIT_TEST_CRONTAB="/bin/sh print-args" git maintenance stop &&
+
+	# stop does not unregister the repo
+	git config --get --global maintenance.repo "$(pwd)" &&
+
+	rm expect &&
+	printf "/delete /tn Git Maintenance (%s) /f\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect args
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'register preserves existing strategy' '
 	git config maintenance.strategy none &&
 	git maintenance register &&
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Eric SunshineNext: Eric Sunshine
Message 38 of 83 in “Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenance”
  1. 0/3 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 3, 2020
  2. 1/3 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 3, 2020
  3. 3/3 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 3, 2020
  4. Eric SunshineNov 3, 2020
  5. Derrick StoleeNov 3, 2020
  6. 2/3 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 3, 2020
  7. Eric SunshineNov 3, 2020
  8. Derrick StoleeNov 3, 2020
  9. Eric SunshineNov 3, 2020
  10. Derrick StoleeNov 4, 2020
  11. Derrick StoleeNov 4, 2020
  12. Junio C HamanoNov 3, 2020
  13. Junio C HamanoNov 3, 2020
  14. Derrick StoleeNov 3, 2020
  15. Junio C HamanoNov 3, 2020
  16. Derrick StoleeNov 4, 2020
  17. Junio C HamanoNov 4, 2020
  18. Derrick StoleeNov 4, 2020
  19. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 4, 2020
  20. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 4, 2020
  21. Eric SunshineNov 11, 2020
  22. Derrick StoleeNov 12, 2020
  23. Eric SunshineNov 12, 2020
  24. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 4, 2020
  25. Eric SunshineNov 11, 2020
  26. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 4, 2020
  27. Eric SunshineNov 11, 2020
  28. Derrick StoleeNov 12, 2020
  29. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 4, 2020
  30. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2020
  31. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2020
  32. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2020
  33. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2020
  34. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  35. Derrick StoleeNov 13, 2020
  36. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  37. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  38. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2020
  39. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  40. Derrick StoleeNov 13, 2020
  41. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  42. Derrick StoleeNov 16, 2020
  43. Eric SunshineNov 13, 2020
  44. Eric SunshineNov 14, 2020
  45. Derrick StoleeNov 16, 2020
  46. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 17, 2020
  47. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 17, 2020
  48. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 17, 2020
  49. Eric SunshineNov 18, 2020
  50. Derrick StoleeNov 18, 2020
  51. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 17, 2020
  52. Eric SunshineNov 18, 2020
  53. Derrick StoleeNov 18, 2020
  54. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 17, 2020
  55. Eric SunshineNov 18, 2020
  56. Derrick StoleeNov 18, 2020
  57. Eric SunshineNov 18, 2020
  58. Derrick StoleeNov 18, 2020
  59. Eric SunshineNov 17, 2020
  60. Derrick StoleeNov 24, 2020
  61. Eric SunshineNov 24, 2020
  62. Eric SunshineNov 17, 2020
  63. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 24, 2020
  64. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 24, 2020
  65. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 24, 2020
  66. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 24, 2020
  67. Eric SunshineNov 27, 2020
  68. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Nov 24, 2020
  69. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2020
  70. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2020
  71. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2020
  72. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2020
  73. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2020
  74. Junio C HamanoDec 10, 2020
  75. Eric SunshineDec 10, 2020
  76. Junio C HamanoDec 10, 2020
  77. Derrick StoleeJan 5, 2021
  78. 0/4 Maintenance IV: Platform-specific background maintenanceDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Jan 5, 2021
  79. 2/4 maintenance: include 'cron' details in docsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Jan 5, 2021
  80. 1/4 maintenance: extract platform-specific schedulingDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Jan 5, 2021
  81. 4/4 maintenance: use Windows scheduled tasksDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Jan 5, 2021
  82. 3/4 maintenance: use launchctl on macOSDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Jan 5, 2021
  83. Eric SunshineJan 10, 2021

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