Check if a program is running
Sunday, February 3, 2008 by WandaJo | Discussion: New Users
Is there a way to make a desktop object check to see if a program is running and start it if not --or-- maximize it if it is already running? E-mail Outlook - I want to be able to click on that icon and start Outlook BUT if it is already started, I want it to come up in a window from the minimized state. Is that possible?
WandaJo
Reply #2 Sunday, February 3, 2008 11:38 AM
Reply #2 Sunday, February 3, 2008 11:38 AM
I don't think that's what I want - I think that's what I have.
What I want is to be able to click the Object at all times and not have to look at the taskbar to see if it's already running.
If I click the Object again the way you described, I get a second occurance of Outlook running instead of going to the one that was started first.
Hope that better explains it. An example is IE - if you click on a link, it brings up the current program running but starts a new tab - it does not start a whole new IE window.....
What I want is to be able to click the Object at all times and not have to look at the taskbar to see if it's already running.
If I click the Object again the way you described, I get a second occurance of Outlook running instead of going to the one that was started first.
Hope that better explains it. An example is IE - if you click on a link, it brings up the current program running but starts a new tab - it does not start a whole new IE window.....
ZubaZ
Reply #4 Tuesday, February 5, 2008 2:49 PM
Reply #4 Tuesday, February 5, 2008 2:49 PM
I've never seen an object that can be a app launcher an/or focus getter.
WandaJo
Reply #5 Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:53 PM
Reply #5 Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:53 PM
This was a workaround I found that's almost as good for anyone that might be interested in the future. Create an Object Dock with one Dock entry of the program (In my case, Outlook). In Miscellaneous Options --> General Misc Options, check the following: when shortcut it run, if program is already running bring it to the foreground only.
Lantec
Reply #6 Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:20 PM
Reply #6 Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:20 PM
Probably should've mentioned Object Dock in your original post. I think they assumed you meant DesktopX. 
ZubaZ
Reply #7 Saturday, February 16, 2008 9:07 PM
Reply #7 Saturday, February 16, 2008 9:07 PM
Probably should've mentioned Object Dock in your original post. I think they assumed you meant DesktopX
I know I did.
WandaJo
Reply #8 Saturday, February 16, 2008 10:43 PM
Reply #8 Saturday, February 16, 2008 10:43 PM
I just stumbled into this wonderful world of desktop customization a few weeks ago and the terms were way above me (not to mention the fact that I had yet to discover Object Doc). Unfortunately I used a technical term to describe what I thought was a generic request. That sort of thing might happen in the New Users forum......
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Reply #1 Sunday, February 3, 2008 11:22 AM
Is this what you want/mean?