[caiphn]

Hello everyone,

I have an application on a Windows 2000 system that I want to automatically start and stop at certain times. The application does not have its own mean to shutdown at a certain time. Is there any way I can do this with the Windows 2000 OS? It is a batch file that runs, and it continues to run under command prompt. I need it to shutdown as it starts to occupy too much memory. It has to stay on Windows 2000. Do I need some sort of third party software in order for this to stop and start at certain times? Any assistance whatsoever would be highly appreciated.

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do you need this batch file running 24 hours a day? if so..why would you want it to turn off? or is it something that you just need to run once a day?

[dsenette]

do you need this batch file running 24 hours a day? if so..why would you want it to turn off? or is it something that you just need to run once a day?

[caiphn]

I need it to run between a certain time period. What I'm trying to figure out is there a way for the batch file to
A) start at a specific time.
B) the application to shut itself down at a certain time. The application runs under the command prompt.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[dsenette]

what does this application do? is it a custom written batch file?

i'm assuming it's something that does what it does untill you tell it not to does what it does.....

[caiphn]

It's a homebrew app that runs some network monitoring, I didn't write it so I'm not that familiar with it. I need it to run between a certain time, thus I need either windows or an additional to app to start it at a certain time and stop it at a certain time. Any input appreciated, thanks!

Edited by caiphn, 09 January 2006 - 01:30 PM.

[dsenette]

well....starting it is as easy as setting it up as a scheduled task within windows.....stopping it is another story.... by homebrew...do you mean someone you know wrote the system? if that's the case...see if they can put a timer in the program....if not...i'll do some research on terminating processes from command line

[caiphn]

Unfortunately there is no way to get the writer of the software to do so, they are far too busy. There is no way to get Windows to just force the app shut? Sorry if that sounds totally ignorant, .. unfortunately it is I'm glad at least the starting process is easy, I'll do some googling for 'scheduled task within windows'. Thanks!

[dsenette]

i'm looking for something that can be done as far as terminating a process from a command line...which is what you're wanting to do..

also....on rereading...the startup of the program may be a little more difficult than assumed....by scheduling the program to run at x time on x day you will open the program up at that time..on that day...but...is this a program that automatically starts doing it's job upon opening? or do you have to click a start button?

[caiphn]

Luckily it starts itself automatically, no input is necessary.

[dsenette]

http://support.micro...om/?kbid=171773 this is gonna help...but i'm trying to find the resource kit that will contain the kill command...i d on't think it's installed by default

[dsenette]

http://support.micro....com/kb/301423/ this will tell you how install the support tools for 2000 which includes the kill command

once you install it on the machine that you are running this program from...

you will schedule the program to run whenever you want it to run

then to schedule the kill (lets say you start it at 12 every day and kill it at 1) you would do this...just once

AT 01:00:00 C:<resource kit root>\kill <programname>.exe or whatever type of program it is

note that if the location of the kill.exe file is in program files you will have to type a location such as "c:\program files\<folder it's in>\kill.exe" then the program name....if there is a space in the name of the folder then...you have to put the quotes....it may be easiest for you to just move kill.exe to the c: drive....that way it will be easier to schedule...if you move the kill.exe file over to the c drive then all you would need to do is

AT 01:00:00 C\kill.exe <programname>.exe or whatever type of program it is

after you do that...everyday at 1...it's gonna send the kill message to that program

[caiphn]

1,000,000 Thank-Yous.

[dsenette]

be very carefull with the AT command....it's a system level scheduler...if you schedule the wrong thing....it's very hard to unshedule it...

i have found that you can use the normal windows task scheduler to schedule the kill command...you just have to make some modifications to the task