How Would You Handle Repeat Errors? / Improve My Script!

markmoore4 · 2016-11-21T16:52:08.000Z

I need some help with a script I recently implemented. I’ve only written a few scripts in PowerShell, so I’m sure there’s plenty I can learn you guys.

This script is executed every 10 minutes to copy files from one server to two or more other servers, and then rename the end copy of the file. If there are failures an email is sent to me.

The first weekend the script was implemented I got 1500 emails.

How can I capture the failure (send an email) once, then when it fails 10 minutes later, check and see if it has already captured that failure and skip sending an email? Possibly, write the error to a text file with a date/time stamp, and read the text file if there’s a failure?
Rewrite the script to prevent repeat errors?

Explanation of Script:

Contract PDF files are placed on vwebserver in the matching folder, i.e. folder 201, 202, 203 etc. (this is done outside the script)

Every 10 minutes my script looks inside each folder and if there’s a .pdf file in the folder it will copy via RoboCopy the file to utilserver. Then it will move the file (which will delete the original once completed) via RoboCopy to alternateserver. The file on utilserver is renamed.

Error:

It copies to utilserver
tries to copy to alternateserver but fails (sends an email), but because this ‘move’ failed the original file is still on vwebserver
renames file on utilserver
10 minutes later it runs again. Because the file has been renamed on utilserver RoboCopy thinks the file on vwebserver is new and recopies it.
tries to copy to alternateserver (at this point it doesn’t matter if it fails or works)
tries to rename the file on utilserver, but there’s already a file with the new name, so it fails (sends an email)
Every time the script runs it will now fail and send an email because it cannot rename the file.

That’s one scenario, the other is if the connection to either remote server fails, it will send an email every 10 minutes.

A sample of the script:

Try {

##VARIABLES
$orig_path = "\\vwebserver\c$\Data\EA\Contract"
$alternate = "\\alternate\Contract"
$membershipacctg = "\\utilserver\"
$alternateuser = 'alternate\uername'
$passwd = 'mypassword'
###

$websvc_folders = Get-ChildItem -Path $orig_path | Where-Object {$_.Psiscontainer} | Select-Object Name

ForEach ($folder in $websvc_folders)
{

#New Mexico
IF ($folder.Name -like "201")
{
######## MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNTING ----------------------------------------------------------------

#RoboCopy Source: \vwebserver\c$\Data\EA\Contract\201

$copyfolder = $folder.Name 
$contractstocopy = $orig_path + $copyfolder

#RoboCopy Destination: \\utilserver\New_Mexico\Contracts
$copytomembership = $membershipacctg + "New_Mexico\Contracts"

ROBOCOPY $contractstocopy $copytomembership /Z /W:10 /R:30 /XA:SH /XX /LOG+:$robolog /Tee

# Check Robocopy Exit Code, sendmail if failure

IF (($LASTEXITCODE -gt 7) -and ($LASTEXITCODE -lt 16))
{
sendmail ("ROBOYCOPY TO MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNTING EXITCODE: 8-15, Warning. 
Some files or directories could not be copied in $contractstocopy Exit Code: $LASTEXITCODE")
}
Elseif ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 16)
{
sendmail ("ROBOYCOPY TO MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNTING EXITCODE: 16, Serious Error. 
Robocopy did not copy ANY files in $contractstocopy")
}

####### 2nd Location & Delete ----------------------------------------------------------------

#RoboCopy Destination: \\alternate\Contract\201
$copytoalt = $alternate + $copyfolder

NET USE $alternate$copyfolder /user:$alternateuser $passwd #open alternate

ROBOCOPY $contractstocopy $copytoalt /MOV /Z /W:10 /R:30 /XA:SH /XX /LOG+:$robolog /Tee 
#/MOV = MOVe files (delete from source after copying)

# Check Robocopy Exit Code, sendmail if failure
NET USE $alternate $copyfolder /D #close alternate

####### RENAME CONTRACTS ----------------------------------------------------------------

Get-ChildItem -path $copytomembership -filter *.pdf |

ForEach-Object {
if ($_.BaseName -match "_agr") #only change name if has '_agr' to keep from renaming twice
{
$null = $_.BaseName -match "^(?'Month'\d{2})(?'Day'\d{2})(?'Year'\d{4})(?'Id'\d+)(?'Name'[-A-Z]+)[A-za-z0-9]{15}_agr$"

$NewName = "{0}-{1}-{2} {3} {4}.pdf" -f $matches.Month,$matches.Day,$matches.Year,$matches.Id,$matches.Name
Rename-Item -Path $_.FullName -NewName $NewName -ea stop
}

}

############ REPEAT The above for Each Folder, 202, 203, 204 etc.-----------------------------------------------------------------

 
}
 #end of Try

Neally · 2016-11-21T17:08:19.000Z

Don’t post massive scripts. We’re all volunteers and we don’t have time to read all that,
nor will we copy, paste, and run it. Post an excerpt, and clearly state what you’re having
problems with.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING! Read if you're new to the PowerShell forum! Programming & Development

Hi, and welcome to the PowerShell forum! Don’t apologize for being a “noob” or “newbie” or “n00b.” There’s just no need – nobody will think you’re stupid, and the forums are all about asking questions. Just ask! Use a descriptive subject. Don't say "Need help" or "PowerShell Help", actually summarize what the problem is. It helps the rest of us keep track of which problem is which. Don’t post massive scripts. We’re all volunteers and we don’t have time to read all that, nor will we copy, past…

Mark64976:

My thoughts:

How can I capture the failure (send an email) once, then when it fails 10 minutes later, check and see if it has already captured that failure and skip sending an email? Possibly, write the error to a text file with a date/time stamp, and read the text file if there’s a failure?

Rewrite the script to prevent repeat errors?

Good question.I have not actually read though, but you might be able to use ‘-erroraction continue’
With something like you might be able to get the error, unless it comes from robocopy, robocopy can log too

$date = Get-Date
$error[0] | out-file "c:\error-$date.txt"

robocopy $from $to /log:c:\logfile.txt

DoctorDNS · 2016-11-21T17:08:57.000Z

tl:dr

At 300 lines, that is a little long. Can you please simplify the question and reduce the size of the script. Get rid of what works then let’s look at the rest.

markmoore4 · 2016-11-21T17:19:42.000Z

I’m sorry, I was trying to give as much information as I could. I cut the script code down to 92 lines, but I’ll see if I can remove more.

justinstanberry · 2016-11-21T17:59:06.000Z

I would use Try, Catch, Finally Blocks (Get-Help about_Try_Catch_Finally ) and gather all the errors in a variable or written out to a file like Neally suggests. I would then send a single email with all of the logged errors at the end. Duplicates are easy to remove by piping to Select-Object -unique.

Is there a reason you are using Robocopy instead of Powershell’s Copy-Item?

markmoore4 · 2016-11-21T18:25:54.000Z

JD Stanberry:

I would use Try, Catch, Finally Blocks (Get-Help about_Try_Catch_Finally ) and gather all the errors in a variable or written out to a file like Neally suggests. I would then send a single email with all of the logged errors at the end. Duplicates are easy to remove by piping to Select-Object -unique.

Is there a reason you are using Robocopy instead of Powershell’s Copy-Item?

I do have Try/Catch/Finally but removed it from the sample because it was so long. However, I am using -ea stop instead of continue. The variable makes sense, however when the script runs again 10 minutes later, it will still generate a new error/email.

I am using RoboCopy because it automatically checks that the copy is successful, and that the file on the end server is the exact same as the original, plus it will continue to copy a file after network glitches, and will not copy the same file over twice (unless you rename it like I am, lol). The PowerShell copy-item would require a lot more scripting to check on all of this.