Schedule R scripts without using Task Scheduler

I have RStudio installed on my Windows 7 machine however I am unable to access Windows Task Scheduler to automate some R scripts. Are there any alternatives in this situation? I have explored taskscheduleR however found out that this is just a wrapper of Task Scheduler. Open to ideas using VB scripts - basically any hack will do.

Solution

I would suggest VBA for your task and you need to learn how to use Application.OnTime;

You need other subs that triggers and stops this one as you desire; first one can start the schedule.

Public stop_running As Boolean
Public sTime As String

Sub Start(input As String)

    stop_running = True 'This controls schedule in Application.Ontime
    sTime = input
    Application.OnTime TimeValue(sTime), "Rscript", Schedule:=stop_running

End Sub

Whenever you want to stop running this macro, the you run this one;

Sub Finish()

    stop_running = False 'Set the schedule to false to stop the macro
    Application.OnTime TimeValue(sTime), "Rscript", Schedule:=stop_running

End Sub

Then this is the sub that runs your r-script:

Sub Rscript()
'runs R script through cmd

    If Not stop_running Exit Sub

Dim shell As Object
Set shell = VBA.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim waitTillComplete As Boolean: waitTillComplete = True
Dim style As Integer: style = 1
Dim errorCode As Integer
Dim path As String

path = "RScript C:\R\myscript.R"
errorCode = shell.Run(path, style, waitTillComplete)

End Sub

You can call the macro Start from immediate window like this:

Call Start(TimeValue("14:00:00 pm"))

And your macro will run at 2 p.m. Everyday.