Less CPU consuming process detection?

[iXX 1]

For detecting start of process, I use loop:

While 1
If (ProcessExists("SomeThing.exe")) Then _DoSomeThing()
Sleep(100)
WEnd

This consumes not much, but some CPU time.

Is there any else, less consuming possibility?

[water 1,805]

Without using any Windows API you could lower CPU usage by setting Sleep(250) or even Sleep(500).

With Sleep(100) you check 10 times a second if the process exists. The longer the Sleep the lower CPU usage.

[iXX 1]

OK, and how to do this using windows API?

[water 1,805]

Don't know, haven't done it myself.

But AutoIt has a builtin WinAPI UDF (User Defined Functions) or you can find an extended version in the example section of the forum.

[guinness 1,455]

If you want to do it by calling the Windows API directly it's a little more complex than just using one function, so if you're up for it download WinAPIEx.au3 (as water mentioned) and then look at the functions with the word 'Process' e.g. _WinAPI_GetProcessID is one which you'll need.

[kylomas 411]

iXX,

Using sleep(250) you will be checking 4 times / second. Is it likely that anything can/will start more often than that?

If so, this becomes a balancing act of cpu usage VS. granularity...at that point it is strictly a user call. I recently wrote a process monitor where I key some action based on what it starting and/or stopping. I'll be curious to see where you go with this.

Good Luck,

kylomas

[Mat 364]

I think it may be possible with WaitForSingleObject, but I'm not sure. It might be quite a complex event though, and I'm not sure how you'd go about it. It's not a function I have ever used before.

It may also be possible with WMI events, as I know some events can be watched for with that, but I am way out of my depth there