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The ContactsLaw Daemon is a server-side process that can be used to create scheduled tasks which run unattended.

Jobs that can be performed by the daemon include:

  • Exporting members' tasks and appointments
  • Moving documents to the long-term archive
  • Deferring the creation of tasks (to reduce clutter and avoid creating unnecessary tasks)
  • Executing long-running reports and database queries

The daemon is required in order to use the REST API.

Configuration

The daemon is an optional component of ContactsLaw and may not be deployed in all target environments. If present, it must be configured and granted the necessary permissions to perform its work.

It is recommended that:

  • The daemon is installed as a Windows Service (using the --install command line switch)
  • The service logs on using a dedicated domain user account
  • The user account is mapped to a service account in ContactsLaw

A system setting is used to advise other copies of ContactsLaw that the daemon is available.

Management

Jobs are created and managed via the 'scheduled tasks' view on the Management tab of The Practice. Each type of job has its own set of options that can be configured.
 
All jobs have settings for scheduling; you can set the date/time that the job will be performed, along with how often it recurs (if at all). You can also run jobs on-demand.
 
The life cycle of a scheduled task is as follows:
  1. A job is created (either manually or by the system) with a particular start date.
  2. When the start date/time approaches, the daemon will prepare to run the job by marking it as 'scheduled'.
  3. When the scheduled start time elapses, the job will start running on the server and its status will update to 'running'.
  4. When the job finishes running, its status is updated to 'completed'. Any additional information will appear in the Result column.
  5. If selected to recur, the next run date/time will be set for the job.

Note: If a job fails or encounters a critical error while running, details of the error will be displayed beside the job. If the job recurs, the daemon will attempt to run it at the next scheduled date/time; otherwise, you must manually re-schedule the job.

Availability

Although installed, the daemon may become unavailable for periods of time; for example:
  • If the service is stopped (e.g. in order to install updates or restart the server)
  • If the connection to the server is interrupted
  • If the service shuts down due to a critical error

If the daemon is unavailable, ContactsLaw will still be able to create new scheduled tasks; if the scheduled start time is missed, the daemon will perform the work when it next becomes available.

See also