Batch file for opening and closing programs

[Deuteronomy93]

Hi All

 

Not looking to reinvent the wheel here, if someone knows of a program etc that can do this then please let me know

 

Basically I wanted to create .bat files to open up all my applications I need for a particular scenario.

 

I've only created a Work one for now, but it will (to a certain extent) open all my work programs and Chrome, which will open all of the URLs I use constantly (not just everything I can use) in the order I like.

 

When this works well, I'll look at creating another for gaming and other scenarios.

 

There are 2 issues, as well as 2 things I would like to try and optimise about it.

 

The issues are:

• Skype will just randomly close soon after opening.
  • It really doesn't seem to play well with the request and the command prompt will often stay open displaying issues that seem to relate to Skype.
• Teams seems to have issues too, where whenever I launch it, it will create a desktop shortcut and it has even randomly seemed to uninstall itself..

The 2 optimisations I would like would be:

• The ability to specify which screen/which location on the screen I would like the applications such as on my portrait screen on the right, Skype on top and Teams on the bottom.
• The ability to rerun the batch file (or something similar) to close everything that is opened with it, possibly with the exception of Chrome.
  • I will often play some games after work and currently restart my PC to get it to a fresh state so that there aren't too many programs sucking performance.
  • This is the reason I don't just have everything open on startup.

Some notes are:

• I followed some guides online and it seems that people with Windows 7 seem to have an easier time.
• Most of their commands seemed to not work for me with Windows 10.
• What I have listed is edited down for anonymity around work etc, with Teams removed until I sort that properly.
  • Anything that has been removed works fine so this shouldn't be an issue.

@echo off
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\SDL\SDL Trados Studio\Studio3\SDLTradosStudio.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files\Private Internet Access\pia-client.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Dropbox\Client\Dropbox.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft OneDrive\OneDrive.exe"
start "" "G:\Engineering\Work Programs\Skype\Skype"
start "" "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE"

start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://www.facebook.com/
timeout 1
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://www.youtube.com/
timeout 1
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://cloud.memsource.com/web/project/list
timeout 1
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://cloud.memsource.com/web/memsource-translate
timeout 1
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://help.memsource.com/hc/en-us/requests

@echo on

 

If anyone has any thoughts that would be greatly appreciated!

[Master Disaster]

Windows 10 has the ability to create multiple desktops. You could just create a desktop for Work with all your required shortcuts and a desktop for normal use with all required shortcuts.

 

On the task bar click the Task View button (the 2 squares with a line next to it) and at the top there's a new desktop button. Click it to create a second desktop. Click the task view button again to switch between them.

[Deuteronomy93]

I'm familiar with this but I don't think it has the ability to open all apps and Chrome tabs at once right?

 

Also is it possible to close all programs on a particular desktop by closing that desktop?

[Master Disaster]

Just now, Deuteronomy93 said:

I'm familiar with this but I don't think it has the ability to open all apps and Chrome tabs at once right?

 

Also is it possible to close all programs on a particular desktop by closing that desktop?

Forgive my ignorance but I'm confused as to why that's an issue? Its not like the batch script will open them any faster than you can do it manually. Chrome should be able to remember your last open tabs, in Firefox I have my most used tabs pinned so they always stay open.

[Deuteronomy93]

The batch file does indeed open everything faster, at least if I want a clean environment with 1 button.

 

In terms of last used tabs etc, this won't work because what I use for work and last have open will change, additionally it will be completely wrong when I had previously been gaming, but am now working, or working and wanting to game.