Using Illusions to Automate Instructions to Constructs/Undead?

[unseenmage]

So mindless minions are great. Especially when they can be made with spells. Double especially when those spells can be cast automatically by Spellclocks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070312a) or Runic Guardians (MM2).

So we can automate minion creation but can we automate minion commands? From afar? Another plane? Long after the master is dead?
Some DMs allow Magic Mouth to do that. Others say that spell cannot be used for that task. I've also read that mindless creatures are extra susceptible to Illusion magics. Is this true?

Is there a high enough level illusion spell that it could be used to remotely command mindless minions? If so do we need the highest level one? How early in a level progresion can mindless minions be commanded by illusions?

[Malroth]

Earliest Illusion capable of giving commands is the 2nd lv "Minor image" which is avalible at lv 1 for anyone with Precocious apprentice or Gnome Illusionist substitution levels, Its duration and range are woefully short for long term tasks. the 6th lv Spell Programmed Image is pretty much exactly what you asked for as it can be set up arbritarily long in advance and then trigger off whatever commands are desired but it is discharged once used so some sort of spell clock would be needed to refresh it.

[Azraile]

you can give basic orders to constructs I beleave, so there isn't a reason to have them respond to seeing a serten symbol, image, person or the like by doing what ever you ask

Or if you have craft contengancy spell..... a person can have 10 active on them, so no reason why a construct can have some too

[unseenmage]

you can give basic orders to constructs I beleave, so there isn't a reason to have them respond to seeing a serten symbol, image, person or the like by doing what ever you ask

Or if you have craft contengancy spell..... a person can have 10 active on them, so no reason why a construct can have some too

The point is to not to have to be there when the minions are created in the first place though. Programmed Image is likely the solution, though I was hoping there was some more esoteric method I suppose.