Datatalk / Waitwindow.
This is a little command line tool I wrote to help me check from a batch file for windows which are open or closed. It can also launch other programs if a specific condition is met.
I couldn't find what I needed, and so I wrote it myself... You can download waitwindow.exe and waitfile.exe here.
(Searching for wallpapers may have brought you to this page. If so, try this link for a selection from the wallpapers that I collected.)
Update
Some command line options have changed. Type waitwindow /? to see the changes.
Use
Typical usage scenario: you need to interact with some program but to do so you must wait until a certain file exists or some window is open or closed. Another use might be a script that launches ten different programs that you use for certain activities.
For example:
- OBS
- Excel
- Grammarly
- Some websites including GoogleDocs
- Balabolka
- Squeezebox music player
- A music player
Also, I want to wake up my music server.
In some cases, I want to wait until a specific program / window is open, in other cases, I don't want to launch that same program again if the window is already open.
Syntax
waitwindow <windowname> [<timeout> [<action> [<commandline>]]]
Example batch file
Some parts from two different real-life batch files...
Start by loading a wallpaper.
WallX is a little wallpaper manager I wrote to handle random wallpapers on multiple monitor configurations. Of course it also works on a single monitor:-)
rem *** wallpaper
start "wallpaper" wallx load c:\googledrive\wallpapers\pk_cover_kindskisslight.jpg fade distort 10 expand 100 round keep resident
Bring up Bluetooth settings to remember to switch on the headphone late at night. For this I open the settings, wait until the window is open, then wait again until it's closed.
rem *** settings
start "bluetooth settings" ms-settings:bluetooth
waitwindow "settings*" 300 openclose
Open the browser and bring up Blogger, so I can edit this blog
Tip: use timeout 1 after launching every two URLs, this will keep the tabs in order, and could actually speed up loading pages (seriously). See if it affects you.
rem *** ninelizards
start "blog page" chrome --profile-directory=%ninelizards% "https://ninelizardsblog.blogspot.com/"
timeout 1
More browser windows. Note that I use different profiles. This one is for Wattpad.
start "wattpad" chrome --profile-directory=%angeljay% "https://www.wattpad.com/myworks"
timeout 1
A text-to-speech tool Balabolka, and of course Grammarly. Balabolka is a sloooow loader.
start "grammarly" grammarly
start "balabolka" balabolka
waitwindow "balabolk*" 300
Ah, Excel, of course...
start "plot" c:\googledrive\plot.xlsx
waitwindow "excel*" 300
Music, maestro. First wake up the music server, then launch the player, then bring up the web page of Squeezebox LMS.
WakieWakie is a little WOL tool I wrote for waking up machines on a network.
wakiewakie.exe adapter 192.168.*.* router 192.168.0.98 server 192.168.0.6 mac xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx retry 1600 linger 1000 history
waitwindow "squeezeplay*" 1 ifnot squeezeplayonly.bat
waitwindow "squeezeplay*" 300
start "squeezebox lms" chrome --profile-directory="Default" "http://192.168.0.6:9000/"
OBS I only want to launch once.
waitwindow "obs*" 1 start "C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe"
timeout 1
And finally, some web pages related to my job, because I always have to work...
start "outlook" chrome --profile-directory="Default" "https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox"
start "outlook" chrome --profile-directory="Default" "https://outlook.office.com/calendar/view/week"
timeout 1
start "google calendar" chrome --profile-directory="Default" "https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r"
start "to do" chrome --profile-directory="Default" "https://keep.google.com/u/0/#home"
To download waitwindow.exe and waitfile.exe:
You'll find all self-written tools here:
Tip: CMDOW can be used to manipulate windows, bring them to the front, activate them etc. See also here.
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