Propery expressions: Values not updated

I see some strange behavior when running a package using the SQL Server Agent. The package I run calls a number of child packages, in which I use property expressions to set - among other things - the path to text files I read into a database.

The property expressions are in the form: @.[User::ThePath] + "\\TheFile.txt". The variable ThePath is read from an XML configuration file at runtime from the "master" package and passed on to the child packages using a parent package variable configuration.

My problem is this: When the package is executed by the SQL Server Agent, the properties for the path of the text files are not updated, and the package fails, as it cannot locate the files. When using DTExecUI to execute the same package, everything runs fine.

Could it be a permissions issue? I don't think so, as the SQL Server Agent runs under the same account as I am logged in when executing with DTExecUI.

Anyone?

It does sound a bit like permissions.
So are you referring to the Account the Agent service runs under OR the account the specific Agent Job Step is executing AS, which are 2 different things.

>>>Could it be a permissions issue? I don't think so, as the SQL Server Agent runs under the same account as I am logged in when executing with DTExecUI.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=918760

|||The SQL Agent is running under a local administrator account, which is the same I use when I log in and run the package using DTExecUI. In the scheduled job, the package is "Run as" the "SQL Agent Service Account", which I think should mean that it is executing in the same security context as when I run it manually?!|||

This one has been bugging me big time!

Now, it seems that I might have found a workaround. If I store the main/parent package (the one executed in the Agent job) in MSDB and let the job execute it from here, everything seems to work fine and the property expressions are properly updated at runtime - even though those property expressions are used in the child packages. Previously I had all the packages stored in SSIS Package Store (File System), and that is also where I still keep the child packages.

Can anyone explain this behavior?

|||Can anyone give any explanation for this behavior?|||Now, it gets even more strange. When the job runs on a schedule, it fails, but when I start it manually by clicking "Start job at step..." it runs fine.