How do I terminate a running program with AI?

[LarsBNygaard]

I'm using Win7, Firefox 3.6.13 (now updating to 3.6.16) and BitTorrent 6.4 (and a lot of other programs, but these are the essential ones).

Now, to improve my browsing speed, I'd like to make an AutoIt script, which will either set all torrents to 'pause' (the preferred choice) or simply terminate BitTorrent, (if the 'pause-option' is unavailable), when ever I open a Firefox-window, and - upon me closing all firefox-windows - start BitTorrent again (or simply re-start the up/downloads).

Could someone please help me to find out how to pause/close Bittorrent, when clicking the script, which will then open Firefox?

(I'm usually running BitTorrent 'minimized to tray'...)

BitTorrent: "C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe" /NOINSTALL

Firefox: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

[Zulqarnain]

I'm using Win7, Firefox 3.6.13 (now updating to 3.6.16) and BitTorrent 6.4 (and a lot of other programs, but these are the essential ones).

Now, to improve my browsing speed, I'd like to make an AutoIt script, which will either set all torrents to 'pause' (the preferred choice) or simply terminate BitTorrent, (if the 'pause-option' is unavailable), when ever I open a Firefox-window, and - upon me closing all firefox-windows - start BitTorrent again (or simply re-start the up/downloads).

Could someone please help me to find out how to pause/close Bittorrent, when clicking the script, which will then open Firefox?

(I'm usually running BitTorrent 'minimized to tray'...)

BitTorrent: "C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe" /NOINSTALL

Firefox: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

This code works for uTorrent and Firefox - Replace BitTorrent Process Name to adapt it for BitTorrent:

;Get PIDs
    Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")
    Local $uTorrentPID = ProcessExists("utorrent.exe")

    ;If uTorrent Exists, kill it and start firefox
    If $uTorrentPID <> 0 Then
        ProcessClose($uTorrentPID) ;If uTorrent exists, kill it.
        Run("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe") ;run firefox after killing uTorrent
    EndIf

    ;If firefox does not exist, start uTorrent
    If $FirefoxPID == 0 Then
        Run("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")
    EndIf


    Sleep(200) ;We need to give the processor some rest!

Please feel free to comment on the code. Thank you.

Edited: Removed the endless loop - it would have caused the system to cycle between uTorrent and Firefox!

Edited March 27, 2011 by Zulqarnain

[LarsBNygaard]

Hi Zulqarnain,

Thankyou for the suggestion.

This is the code I try to use, but it does absolutely nothing, what am I missing..?

#cs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

AutoIt Version: 3.3.6.1

Author: myName

Script Function:

Template AutoIt script.

#ce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Script Start - Add your code below here

;WinClose(" ;Get PIDs

Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")

Local $uTorrentPID = ProcessExists("utorrent.exe")

;If uTorrent Exists, kill it and start firefox

If $uTorrentPID <> 0 Then

ProcessClose($bittorrentPID) ;If bittorrent.exe exists, kill it.

Run("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe") ;run firefox after killing bittorrent.exe

EndIf

;If firefox does not exist, start bittorrent

If $FirefoxPID == 0 Then

Run("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")

EndIf

[LarsBNygaard]

OK.. I found one error - I hadn't changed all the utorrent to bittorent, but none the less; the script DOES open yet another instance of bittorrent, which is NOT the idea, and it does NOT open Firefox..???

Code:

#cs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

AutoIt Version: 3.3.6.1

Author: myName

Script Function:

Template AutoIt script.

#ce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Script Start - Add your code below here

;WinClose(" ;Get PIDs

Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")

Local $bittorrentPID = ProcessExists("bittorrent.exe")

;If bittorrent Exists, kill it and start firefox

If $bittorrentPID <> 0 Then

ProcessClose($bittorrentPID) ;If bittorrent.exe exists, kill it.

Run("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe") ;run firefox after killing bittorrent.exe

EndIf

;If firefox does not exist, start bittorrent

If $FirefoxPID == 0 Then

Run("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")

EndIf

[BrewManNH]

I'm not sure why it's not killing the bittorrent process, but it will always restart bittorrent as long as Firefox wasn't running at the start of the script. You only check to see if Firefox is running once at the start of the script and never check for it again. You need to put your Firefox test in an endless loop that only exits that loop when Firefox is closed, or use RunWait when you start Firefox so the script pauses until you've finished using Firefox.

Also, take the Run command out of the If $bittorrentPID <> 0 Then...EndIf loop because if bittorrent isn't running, firefox will not be started.

[LarsBNygaard]

Well, here we are at the limits f my understanding, but I guess that I've got the point..

Would it be possible to implement a 'wait' command, somewhat like this:

-----------------------------

;WinClose(" ;Get PIDs

Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")

Local $bittorrentPID = ProcessExists("bittorrent.exe")

;If bittorrent Exists, kill it and start firefox

If $bittorrentPID <> 0 Then

ProcessClose($bittorrentPID) ;If bittorrent.exe exists, kill it.

Run("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe") ;run firefox after killing bittorrent.exe

EndIf

; Wait 10 seconds

Opt("WinWaitDelay", 10000)

;If firefox does not exist, start bittorrent

If $FirefoxPID == 0 Then

RunWait("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")

EndIf

[bwochinski]

I don't have bittorrent on this PC to test, but shouldn't this handle it?

I assume you want to automatically stop & start bittorrent, based upon when YOU open or close Firefox.

This should be able to run pretty much perpetually in the background...

While True
    
    Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")
    Local $bittorrentPID = ProcessExists("bittorrent.exe")

    ;If Firefox Exists, and bittorrent is running, kill bittorrent
    If $bittorrentPID <> 0 And $FirefoxPID <>  0 Then
        ProcessClose($bittorrentPID) ;If bittorrent.exe exists, kill it.
    EndIf

    ;If firefox does not exist, and bittorrent is not running, start bittorrent
    If $FirefoxPID == 0 And $bittorrentPID == 0 Then
        Run("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")
    EndIf 

    ;wait around for Firefox to start or close
    Sleep(1000)
WEnd

Edited April 1, 2011 by bwochinski

[LarsBNygaard]

Well, I guess that I cracked the nut (in a manner of speaking).

Apparently bittorent has a rather timeconsuming 'shut-down-procedure' - at least on my PC, from the "exit-click" is done, until the process is actually disappearing from Windows joblist, app. 12½-13½ seconds pass.

In order to overcome this, I've added the 'wait' command, in order to pause the script for 15 seconds - after starting firefox - before checking if firefox is still running; and have subsequently adapted the "RunWait", in order to have the script restart bittorrent after Firefox has been closed.

In effect this works like a dream for me ;oD

I'm very grateful for all your help, and post the code for anyone to use!

CODE-START---------------------------

#cs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

AutoIt Version: 3.3.6.1

Author: Lars Bech Nygaard with kind help from BrewManNH and Zulqarnain

Script Function:

Terminate Bittorrent, Run Firefox and restart Bittorent on exit from Firefox

#ce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Script Start - Add your code below here

;WinClose(" ;Get PIDs

Local $FirefoxPID = ProcessExists("firefox.exe")

Local $bittorrentPID = ProcessExists("bittorrent.exe")

;If bittorrent Exists, kill it and start firefox

If $bittorrentPID <> 0 Then

ProcessClose($bittorrentPID) ;If bittorrent.exe exists, kill it.

Run("C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe") ;run firefox after killing bittorrent.exe

EndIf

; Wait 15 seconds

Opt("WinWaitDelay", 15000)

;If firefox does not exist, start bittorrent

If $FirefoxPID == 0 Then

RunWait("C:\Program Files\BitTorrent\bittorrent.exe")

EndIf

CODE-END---------------------------

Yours most grateful

Lars Bech Nygaard