Create a Custom Timer Job in SharePoint 2010

1. Open Visual Studio 2010 and select File –> New –> Project…

2. In the New Project window, under Installed Templates, select SharePoint –> 2010 and select Empty SharePoint Project. Give the project a Name and click OK.

3. Enter the URL for SharePoint local site, check the Deploy as a farm solution, and click Finish.

4. Create a new class.  Right click on the project in the Solution Explorer window and select Add –> New Item…

5. In the Add New Item window, under Installed Templates, select Visual C# –> Code and select Class.  Give the class a name and click OK.

6. The new class needs to inherit from the Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPJobDefinition class. Copy and paste the following code, which creates a the constructors, overrides the Execute() method, and inherits theSPJobDefinition class: (Note: In this code example, an item is added to a SharePoint list every time the Execute() method is called.  The list called “ListTimerJob” must reside within SharePoint.)

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using Microsoft.SharePoint; using Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration; namespace UpshotSP {     class ListTimerJob : SPJobDefinition     {          public ListTimerJob()             : base()         {         }         public ListTimerJob(string jobName, SPService service, SPServer server, SPJobLockType targetType)             : base(jobName, service, server, targetType)         {         }         public ListTimerJob(string jobName, SPWebApplication webApplication)             : base(jobName, webApplication, null, SPJobLockType.ContentDatabase)         {             this.Title = "List Timer Job";         }         public override void Execute(Guid contentDbId)         {             // get a reference to the current site collection's content database             SPWebApplication webApplication = this.Parent as SPWebApplication;             SPContentDatabase contentDb = webApplication.ContentDatabases[contentDbId];             // get a reference to the "ListTimerJob" list in the RootWeb of the first site collection in the content database             SPList Listjob = contentDb.Sites[0].RootWeb.Lists["ListTimerJob"];             // create a new list Item, set the Title to the current day/time, and update the item             SPListItem newList = Listjob.Items.Add();             newList["Title"] = DateTime.Now.ToString();             newList.Update();         }     } }

7. Add a Feature to the solution by right clicking on Features in the Solution Explorer window and selecting Add Feature.

8. Right click on Feature1 and select Add Event Receiver.

9.  A new class is created that handles the feature’s events.  Copy and paste the following code, which handles theFeatureActivated event, installing the custom timer job, and handles the FeatureDeactivating event, uninstalling the custom timer job:

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namespace UpshotSP.Features.Feature1 { [Guid("9a724fdb-e423-4232-9626-0cffc53fb74b")] public class Feature1EventReceiver : SPFeatureReceiver     {         const string List_JOB_NAME = "ListLogger";         // Uncomment the method below to handle the event raised after a feature has been activated.         public override void FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)         {             SPSite site = properties.Feature.Parent as SPSite;             // make sure the job isn't already registered             foreach (SPJobDefinition job in site.WebApplication.JobDefinitions)             {                 if (job.Name == List_JOB_NAME)                     job.Delete();             }             // install the job             ListTimerJob listLoggerJob = new ListTimerJob(List_JOB_NAME, site.WebApplication);             SPMinuteSchedule schedule = new SPMinuteSchedule();             schedule.BeginSecond = 0;             schedule.EndSecond = 59;             schedule.Interval = 5;             listLoggerJob.Schedule = schedule;             listLoggerJob.Update();         }         // Uncomment the method below to handle the event raised before a feature is deactivated.         public override void FeatureDeactivating(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)         {             SPSite site = properties.Feature.Parent as SPSite;             // delete the job             foreach (SPJobDefinition job in site.WebApplication.JobDefinitions)             {                 if (job.Name == List_JOB_NAME)                     job.Delete();             }         }     } }

10. Select the appropriate scope where the new feature will be activated.  Double click Feature1.Feature in theSolution Explorer window and choose the desired Scope from the dropdown menu.

11. Deploy the solution by right clicking on the project in the Solution Explorer window and selecting Deploy.

12. Navigate to the SharePoint “ListTimerJob” list and verify that a new item has been added with the current day/time as the title. (Note: The custom timer job , and many other services, can be modified within Central Administration site.)

13. Finished!