Help with command lines

[presto]

I'm using a program called BGinfo that takes info about your computer (installed memory, hard drive space, etc) and displays it on the desktop.

You are supposed to be able to put a shortcut in the start up menu so that whenever you start up your computer this info will be updated. They say to use the command line options to cause the program to do it's thing without actually bringing up the interface.

The command line is /timer:0

I can't figure out how to do this. What do you do with a command line? I tried opening properties on the shortcut I had created and adding this command line but no matter what It doesn't work. I get an immediate error message that the path does not exist. In the shortcut properties I see a box labled Target and another called Start In. I understand what the Target is but what is Start In?

Here is what it says at the top of the box that "explains" command lines:

bginfo [configuration files] [options]

configuration file - The configuration file to use

/timer:nn - time out period before applying configuration


I need to set up the command line so that it will use C:\Program Files\BGinfo\first.bgi as the configuration file and so that it will open for zero seconds before applying the configuration.

Any help appreciated.

[Solarjetman]

make a text file that has

"C:\Program Files\BGinfo\bginfo" "C:\Program Files\BGinfo\first.bgi" /timer:0

then rename its extension to .bat That will make it a DOS batch file. copy it to Start>Programs>Startup and it will run every time you boot.

[presto]

That seems to have worked. Thanks.

Is there any way to keep the dos window from appearing?

[greymalkin]

*** You can access your start menu by simply right clicking on the start button and choosing "open" or "explore". ***

you can make it run minimized, but not keep it from showing at all.

You will need to cut the original .bat file from the startup folder on your start menu, then paste it somewhere else on your computer (put it on C: or make a folder for it). Then create a shortcut to that .bat file (right click .bat file, choose create shortcut ) and copy the shortcut to the startup folder.

Now that you've done that, right click on the shortcut and go to properties. In the properties window there will be a shortcut tab. Somewhere in there there will be a "Run" section with the options Normal, Minimized, Maximized. Set it to minimized and apply the changes.

next time you boot you will see the program in your taskbar for a few seconds, but that will be it.

[Solarjetman]

Actually, now that you mention shortcuts, I think you can just get by with that. Create a new shortcut (right-click, shoose new>shortcut) and when it asks you for the program, type what is in the bat file. I think that will work without a DOS window.

[presto]

Yes that worked and that is what I remember doing before. So the format is to put the path of the executable in quotes followed by the path of the configuration file in quotes followed by the options, right?

Here is another thing I don't under stand:

If you create a BGInfo configuration file (using the File|Save Settings menu item) you can automatically import and use those settings on other systems by adding the /I<path> or /iq<path> command line option.

what is the difference between I and iq in the above? I have BGinfo.bgi in the root drive of my computer named Patricia. What would be the command line to put in the shortcut of a computer named Diane so that it would use that same configuration file?

People seem to say "use these command options" as if we should now the syntax and methods of using command options. Where is this info? I searched for a tutorial but haven't found one.

Thanks Thanks

Here is the page for the program I am talking about:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/bginfo.shtml

[Solarjetman]

Hey, I've been gone. To answer your questions,...

Yes, you put the path of the program first. The quotes are only needed if any folder has a space in it, but I do it all the time just for habit. Then a space and options for the program. The options depend on the program. Usually they are preceded by a "/". For a list of available options, use "/?" or "/help" (agian dependant on the program)

As for the difference between /i and /ip I don't know. That is specific to the BGinfo program and I don't know it.

Try this example. First open a DOS window and type...

ipconfig /?

This will display the help file for the ipconfig command. Notice for this one you did not need to type the full path to the program. That is because it is located in the Windows folder and if no path is given, then Windows will search there.

[presto]

Thanks for the really helpful reply. What I have done is to put BGinfo.exe in C of all my computers and then put BGinfo Config.bgi in C of the main computer. I then mapped the C drive of the main computer as V in all of the other computers and then made a shortcut with this in the Target Box:

C:\Bginfo.exe "V:\BGinfo Config.bgi" /timer:0

I put this shortcut in the Start Up folder.

This way if I make a change to BGinfo Config on the main computer, the change happens on all the computers the next time they reboot.

Seems to work fine but I still wonder what they meant by using /I or /iq in order to do this.

Before I thought of mapping the drives, I tried to use the name of the computer in the command line instead of a letter. Shouldn't that work?

In other words "Patricia\C:\Bginfo Config.bgi" /timer:0

I tried several different ways of doing that but could not get it to work. Isn't there a format like \\Patricia or something that would work here?

I really appreciate your help.