Not sure what makes the scheduled tasks but this might uncover a key to my problem in my "store owner email alerts not working" http://forum.abantecart.com/index.php/topic,5162.0.html post as to why the store owner is not receiving alerts by email.

See attached image

Here are the details from the error log:

Check setting of your store domain URL in System Settings . Loading default store configuration for now. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/config.php on line 210
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Task_id (or step_id) has not been set. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Looks like task #0 does not contain step #0 in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step #0. Unknown settings for it. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php</b> on line <b>119</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'result' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/task_manager.php</b> on line <b>140</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - Scheduled step #1 of task #6 failed during process
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Task_id (or step_id) has not been set. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Looks like task #0 does not contain step #0 in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step #0. Unknown settings for it. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php</b> on line <b>119</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'result' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/task_manager.php</b> on line <b>140</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - Scheduled step #1 of task #6 failed during process

I have been through the doc's and read what few posts I could find regarding this issue I am having.

I cannot get Abantecart to send any alert emails.

Tried lots of different options, even SMTP.

Contact us form emails do not get sent, nothing in the logs

Owner does not receive 'New Customer' alerts

Owner does not receive order alerts.

Sending email from the admin "Sales > Send mail" to a customer or any number of customers works fine.

Registering a new account, following up with the activation link and login into the new account works.  Owner does not receive an alert.

Making a purchase : Customer receives email invoice notification, Owner does not receive an alert.

Changing status of an order and manually selecting to notify customer does work.

I'm unable to activate new accounts via email activation.

This is the log entries for the activation errors.

2016-08-30 5:21:22 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'email_activation' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/storefront/controller/pages/account/login.php</b> on line <b>233</b>
2016-08-30 5:21:22 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'email_activation' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/storefront/controller/pages/account/login.php</b> on line <b>236</b>


This is the code snippet of my login.php file (with line numbers)

232            $customer_info = $this->model_account_customer->getCustomerByLoginname($loginname);         
233            if($customer_info && !$customer_info['status'] && $customer_info['data']['email_activation']) {
234               //show link for resend activation code to email
235               $enc = new AEncryption($this->config->get('encryption_key'));
236               $rid = $enc->encrypt($customer_info['customer_id'].'::'.$customer_info['data']['email_activation']);
237               $this->error['message'] .= sprintf($this->language->get('text_resend_activation_email'),