How do I create a scheduled task using Python Win32com that runs every 5 seconds?

Question

I am trying to create a scheduled task in Python using Win32com. I am able to create a daily trigger. However, I cannot find a way to create a trigger every 5 seconds or every minute for that matter. Does anybody have any pointers on how to do that?

Answer 1

As said in a comment, if you want to do stuff with this frequency you are better off just having your program run forever and do its own scheduling.

In a similar fashion to @Barmak Shemirani's answer, but without spawning threads:

import time

def screenshot():
    # do your screenshot...

interval = 5.
target_time = time.monotonic() + interval
while True:
    screenshot()
    delay = target_time - time.monotonic()
    if delay > 0.:
        time.sleep(delay)
    target_time += interval

or, if your screenshot is fast enough and you don't really care about precise timing:

while True:
    screenshot()
    time.sleep(interval)

If you want this to run from the system startup, you'll have to make it a service , and change the exit condition accordingly.

Answer 2

pywin32 is not required to create schedule or timer. Use the following:

import threading

def screenshot():
    #pywin32 code here
    print ("Test")

def starttimer():
  threading.Timer(1.0, starttimer).start()
  screenshot()

starttimer()

Use pywin32 for taking screenshot etc.