Background Task works on PC but fails on Tablet

Question

I use a background task to update a tile with a time trigger. The background task works perfectly on a PC.

However, on a tablet (I tested Surface, Fujitsu, Samsung) the background task is not executed. This is very puzzling, as the settings on the PC and the tables (all machines run with Windows 8.1) are identical.

---

krasscheck

Answer 1

Hi pommain,

The biggest difference between PC and Tablet is one using AC power and another use DC power, there indeed some limitation on background task: Supporting your app with background tasks, update tile seems the data transfer action, the documentation mentioned there is data limitation on DC power also the CPU limitation.

--James

---

We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.
Click HERE to participate the survey.

Answer 2

James:

thanks for your answer. However, the background tasks shows this behaviour even if the tablet is put in the docking station. In this case, the behavior should be the same as observed on the PC.

---

krasscheck

Answer 3

Sounds you are correct, the tablet with power should act like a PC. But per documentation mentioned:

Note  The network data usage limit is lifted when the device is plugged in (AC power), but the CPU usage quota still applies. Similarly, the CPU and network resource constraints are suspended for an app's background tasks while the user is interacting with it in the foreground.

Network data is fine but CPU usage quota still exist. Could this be the problem.

--James

---

We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.
Click HERE to participate the survey.

Answer 4

James:

The background task doesn't work even if the tablet is not used at all in the foreground for hours. This behaviour is strange because when I start my PC in the morning, the live tile on the PC is updated by the background task while on the tablet nothing happens - even after several days.

---

krasscheck

Answer 5

Hi pommain,

Thanks for your reply, it looks really weird. The code should be same on tablet and on PC since they all run under a sandbox mode with Windows Runtime API.

Could it be the setting of the tablet, I have a Surface here, if you tell me the app name I can download and give a try to see if the live tile works on my tablet. For a self testing, How to debug a background task might help us understand how the background task works, we can also see the event logs from event viewer.

--James

---

We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.
Click HERE to participate the survey.