ZIP or Archive and Delete Old Log Files using Windows Task Scheduler in Winrar

Introduction

Sometimes, we need to delete temporary files or old log files or text files using some service of Windows Task Scheduler. Today, I am going to discuss how to create Task Scheduler in Windows and archive old log files.

Background

In your computer, Winrar software should be installed. We only need to create a batch file and execute some command in the batch file.

Using the Code

Set Windows Environmental variable to point to installed Winrar application

• Right click on My Computer to open popup
• Click Properties to open the dialog box
• Click on Advance system settings to open System properties dialog box

• Click on Advance tab, click on Environmental variables button to open a dialog box
• Select “Path” variable from the below pane and click Edit button to open a dialog box
• Append the following at the end of the text box:

  ;C:\Program Files\WinRAR (included semicolon also) – This is the path where your actual Winrar application is installed

• Click OK, Click OK, Click OK

Now open Notepad and add the following contents in that

WinRAR a -r YOURTARGETZIPFILENAME SOURCEFILETOZIP (This is for zipping)

Eg. WinRAR a -r C:\Test.zip C:\Test.txt

cd DIRNAME (directory from where you will delete log files)

del /Q /F /S YOURFILENAME

Now, save the file as “Test.bat”

Now let's configure Windows Task Scheduler.

Configure Task Scheduler

• Click Start menu
• Find Task Scheduler, click to open to Task Scheduler Window
• Click Create Basic Task to open a dialog box
• Type TestScheduler in text box. Click Next button
• Select “Daily” radio button
• Click Next
• Set Start time of the task to start

• Click Next
• Select “Start a program” radio button
• Click Next
• Click Browse and select Test.bat
• Click Next, Click Finish

Now you are ready to go. Happy coding!!!