Schedule to properly exit a program at 5pm

[Salmon Trout]

The organisation sounds like what we call a "cowboy outfit" where I come from. especially from a financial governance point of view, and I am glad I don;'t have any shares in it.

[ktobiano]

What I need is an automated way to properly shut QB at 5pm automatically regardless of why it needs to happen.

[Squashman]

What I need is an automated way to properly shut QB at 5pm automatically regardless of why it needs to happen.

The only real way to properly shut it down would to be at the computer.
Using any other task to forcefully shutdown Quickbooks could have undesirable consequences.

I asked earlier if you have remote access to your company's network.  If so, you could remote into the computer and just shut it down.

The only other option I can think of is to use an AutoIt or AutoHotKey script.  These programs can work with the graphical interface of the running programming and shut it down correctly.

[ktobiano]

No I do not have remote access to my computer. 

[BC_Programmer]

What I need is an automated way to properly shut QB at 5pm automatically regardless of why it needs to happen.

Did you see my post regarding task scheduler?

[ktobiano]

Yes.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that Task Scheduler kills the exe file and doesn't actually shut down the program properly.  it's what I was told on another site...

[patio]

If you kill the .exe the program is shut down...thats how .exe's work..

[BC_Programmer]

Yes.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that Task Scheduler kills the exe file and doesn't actually shut down the program properly.  it's what I was told on another site...

Yes, that is correct.

The main difference is simply that the program won't have a chance to do any appropriate housekeeping when it is closed. In this case it would not be able to save changes.

The only way to automate would be a VBScript, but that would require some knowledge of QuickBooks' Programming interfaces.

[Squashman]

If you search on the AutoHotKey and AutoIt forums they have topics about closing Quickbooks.
http://www.autohotkey.com/board/
http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/

[ktobiano]

After much searching I was able to find a piece of freeware that works.  It's called System Scheduler.  Per the company:


"With the free version, you can have the Window Watcher feature to run at 5pm, and set the Window Watcher to close the application. This does a normal close - not a Kill.

With the Professional version there are more options for closing programs, in the Run Application - Advanced tab there is an option to close the application after x minutes. You can download a 30 day evaluation from our website if you want to give it a try."


Thank you to all who tried to assist with what I needed.

[Squashman]

After much searching I was able to find a piece of freeware that works.  It's called System Scheduler.  Per the company:


"With the free version, you can have the Window Watcher feature to run at 5pm, and set the Window Watcher to close the application. This does a normal close - not a Kill.

With the Professional version there are more options for closing programs, in the Run Application - Advanced tab there is an option to close the application after x minutes. You can download a 30 day evaluation from our website if you want to give it a try."


Thank you to all who tried to assist with what I needed.

Like I said.  AutoIt and AutoHotKey can do the same and gives you a little more flexibility with making sure that any changes you currently made are saved and backed up before you close the program.

I haven't played much with VBscripts Sendkeys function but it could probably do it as well. 

It is just a matter of how much control and flexibility you want.  Sounds like you wanted a precooked application to do it.  Hopefully System Watcher doesn't corrupt your Quickbooks database at all.

[HelpmePlease29]

type this in RUN :
shutdown -s -t [seconds left to shutdown]

Replace the [seconds left to shutdown] with the time to shutdown.For eg: if yu want to shutdown pc at 5pm and now time is 3pm just calculate 2*3600 = 7200. Then type there 7200 and when timer reaches 0 it will force shutdown. If you wannt to cancel timer just type in RUN:
shutdown /a

[Squashman]

type this in RUN :
shutdown -s -t [seconds left to shutdown]

Replace the [seconds left to shutdown] with the time to shutdown.For eg: if yu want to shutdown pc at 5pm and now time is 3pm just calculate 2*3600 = 7200. Then type there 7200 and when timer reaches 0 it will force shutdown. If you wannt to cancel timer just type in RUN:
shutdown /a

If you happened to read all of the thread the OP does not want to shut down the computer.  He wanted to gracefully close the program.

[patio]

On top of that he stated he found a solution...