Custom SP Timer Job in Sharepoint 2010 not working (does nothing)

Question

I'm busy writing / debugging my first custom timer job in Sharepoint 2010.

What is working so far:

1. The timer job installs
2. The timer job can start

What's not working:

1. Nothing else seems to be working. It just runs indefinitely without any results or progress.

My execute method so far:

public override void Execute(Guid contentDbId)
        {
            this.UpdateProgress(1); 
            Tasks.TaskMan taskMan = new Tasks.TaskMan();
            taskMan.RunInsertTasks();
            this.UpdateProgress(33); 
        }

Task man task should take about 5 minutes to complete. Basically what it will do is insert items to a list and to a taxonomy term store. The code tested in a console application works.

What could the problem be, I've followed the sample code on timer jobs down to the last letter, checked and rechecked, but it seems the job just isn't working for some reason.

Thanks in advance

Update

Changed my method to now be:

public override void Execute(Guid contentDbId)
            {
                this.UpdateProgress(1); 
            }

Same problem , seems to run indefinitely.

Answer 1

Possibly to do with user permissions under which your TaskMan task operates?

Your console app would run under the rights of you logged in, whereas the timer job runs under whatever OWSTIMER operates.

Something permissions related could be causing your TaskMan task to halt for some reason.

Answer 2

1. Attach debugger to owstimer.exe
2. step into UpdateProgress, step, step, step
3. find bug