Run Part of Code on First Run Only

[aleph01]

#include <IE.au3>
; delete previous user data
$ClearID = "511"
Run("RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess " & $ClearID)
DirRemove ("C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\Google\", 1)

; open two tabs in Chrome
Run("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe http://www.forsythpl.org https://www.google.com --new-window --incognito", "", @SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)

; meter
$meteringSite   = "http://opac.forsythpl.org/launchcommand/sf/GoogleChrome.htm"
$meteringWindow = _IECreate($meteringSite, 0, 0, 1)
_IEQuit($meteringWindow)

In my workplace (library), we use the above script, compiled, to allow patrons to open the Chrome browser.

It works great, except on some older machines, the DirRemove line takes about 27 seconds, leaving patrons confused and frustrated.  (That is to say, if I rem out the DirRemove line, Chrome starts in 2 – 3 seconds.)

I would like to run the DirRemove line only the first time the script is run.  Subsequent times, the Google directory won’t be storing user data since we’re running in incognito mode.

I know I could put a RegRead line in there and if the reg entry doesn’t exist, write it and run the DirRemove line.  If it does exist, that means this script has run before and the Google directory doesn’t have any user data in it and doesn‘t need to be deleted.

I was wondering if there’s some standard method to do this, or if the registry method I described is as good as any other.  Also, if there isn't what might be called a "standard" method, I'm open to other suggestions for performing the same task.

Thanks,

_aleph_

[Jos]

Wouldn't this do the same without hanging, but simply removing the old data in the background?

#include <IE.au3>
; delete previous user data
$ClearID = "511"
Run("RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess " & $ClearID)
DirMove ("C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\Google\", "C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\GoogleOld\",1)
Run(@ComSpec & ' /c rmdir /S /Q "C:\Users\' & @UserName & '\AppData\Local\GoogleOld\"',Default,@SW_HIDE) 

; open two tabs in Chrome
Run("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe http://www.forsythpl.org https://www.google.com --new-window --incognito", "", @SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)

; meter
$meteringSite   = "http://opac.forsythpl.org/launchcommand/sf/GoogleChrome.htm"
$meteringWindow = _IECreate($meteringSite, 0, 0, 1)
_IEQuit($meteringWindow)

Jos

[aleph01]

Jos,

Thanks for responding.  I'll see if DirMove is faster than DirRemove.  As it turns out, none of our older, slower computers will be running this script, so at this point it's academic.  But if DirMove is faster, it'll make the first run more palatable (on the slower machines.)

[Jos]

Dirmove is just a rename so guess it should be instant.

Jos

[aleph01]

Actually, Jos, with DirMove, my slow machine took right at 25 seconds to open Chrome.  It seems DirMove is only marginally faster (if at all) than DirRemove.  Anyway, the pressure's off, with the newer machines running the original script in a timely manner, but I'm still curious if there's a better method to skip a section of code after first run than the RegRead/RegWrite method I described earlier.

I would have guessed renaming should be faster, but not in this case for whatever reason.

Edited June 14, 2017 by aleph01

[Jos]

mmm ... strange as it should only de a rename of the folder when its on the same drive. Is it the actual Delete/move taking that long of just the fact that the Google subdirectory isn't there?

Anyway... was just wondering but understand it's a moot point now.

Jos

[aleph01]

The Google directory is there, Chrome creates it every time it's run if it doesn't exist.  Moot because of current applicability, but it inspired me to write some code:

#include <IE.au3>

; delete previous user data in IE
$ClearID = "511"
Run("RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess " & $ClearID)

If NOT RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\StabilityMetrics", "ScriptRunOnce") Then
    ; delete previous user data in Chrome
    DirRemove ("C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\Google\", 1)
    ;DirMove ("C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\Google\", "C:\Users\" & @UserName & "\AppData\Local\GoogleOld\", 1)
    RegWrite ("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\StabilityMetrics", "ScriptRunOnce", "REG_SZ", 1)
EndIf

; open Chrome
Run("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe http://www.forsythpl.org http://www.google.com --new-window --incognito", "", @SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)

; meter
$meteringSite   = "http://opac.forsythpl.org/launchcommand/sf/GoogleChrome.htm"
$meteringWindow = _IECreate($meteringSite, 0, 0, 1)
_IEQuit($meteringWindow)

It works like a charm.  About 30 seconds to start Chrome the first time, about 3 seconds on subsequent times.

Thanks,

_aleph_