Windows app that waits specified amount of time then launches specified app?

Question

I know this could probably be done somewhat easily in something like AutoHotkey, but is there an app you could do this with?

Say something like

runwait C:\Windows\notepad.exe 12000

So, a command line app would be best, because I want to run it from Launchy.

Maybe one of NirSoft's apps does this...

Answer 1

You can use the built in at command and specify a time:

at 7:30 /interactive notepad.exe

more geared to StackOverflow, but I just wrote a quick Python script that will utilize the at command and make the time conversions for you, it can be compiled to an executable with py2exe:

import sys,os,time

if len(sys.argv) != 3:
    print "Invalid number of arguments supplied"
    print "Usage: runwait.py <path_to_file> <time_in_seconds>\n"
    print "Example: runwait.py C:\Runme.exe 12000"
    sys.exit(-1)

wait = time.time()+float(sys.argv[2])
futuretime = time.localtime(wait)
formatted = time.strftime("%H:%M",futuretime)
execstr = "at",formatted,"/interactive",sys.argv[1]
os.system(' '.join(execstr))

example of use as shown in the script:

runwait.py C:\Runme.exe 12000

that will run the specified file in 12000 seconds (200 minutes/3 hours and 20 mins)

What the script does is basically grabs the current time, converts it to epoch time, adds the amount of seconds you specified back to that, converts the time back to something the at utility will accept, and adds it as a job.

Answer 2

Windows has no builtin wait command. However, you can fake it with ping:

ping -w 1000 -n 5 10.10.10.10 >NUL:

This pings 10.10.10.10 five times with each ping having a timeout of one second. Obviously, you need to pick an IP address that you know doesn't exist. The ">NUL:" throws away its output. You can then chain it with an "&":

ping -w 1000 -n 5 10.10.10.10 >NUL: & calc

I suppose if you wanted to, you could create a .bat file that could take a parameter to fake the sleep command. If you're going to do that, though, there are any number of sleep.exes you can download. Cygwin comes to mind.

Here's a batch file that matches your syntax above:

@echo off
ping -w 1000 -n %2 10.10.10.10 >NUL:
call %1

Just save it to runwait.bat

Answer 3

There is a sleep utility for batch files free for download:

http://malektips.com/xp_dos_0002.html

It has been suggested that you take advantage of ping to get the result that you want. Why not combine that suggestion, and the sleep command/utility from the site above?

Answer 4

Windows Time Bomb is an easy-to-use application that will enable you to schedule it to launch any program you want. Set your time to open a file or launch an application and start timer and WTB will launch it for you.

Windows Time Bomb is freeware.

not exactly a beauty, but not as ugly as WTB:

The main feature of TimeLeft is a powerful customizable reminder, which can show a message, play music (any formats including mp3) or open a link, document, execute an application, turn off your monitor or shutdown your PC.

TimeLeft is freeware.

and here's one with command line funtionality:

Countdown Clock for Windows

This useful utility allows you to count down time with an alarm. It's great when needing a countdown timer to be reminded of a specific event such as checking the roast cooking in the oven, checking the water level when filling your hot tub, or what ever else you can concoct. Supports up to 720 hours in the countdown.

With Countdown Clock you can:

Play any multi-media file including movies, music or sound files when the counter gets to 00:00

Launch any program of your liking when the alarm goes off including programs that will shut down your system.

The clock can be hidden in the system tray.

The clock can be resized to virtually any size on your desktop including FULL SCREEN.

Instructions for passing command line arguments:

countdown HH MM SS Y "Media file" "File To Run"

Countdown Clock is shareware, try before you buy.