Titan Tricks

====== Start apps with the Task Scheduler ======

Idea and implementation by Peter Häusler (the Swiss Avolites guy), 2021.

<color #ed1c24><fs x-large>**You are strongly discouraged from installing any third-party software on Avolites consoles. Doing so will void warranty, will probably result in unreliable behaviour of the console - and you will most likely end in all sorts of lampy hell.**</fs></color>

However...

a) you have purchased your console, it is yours, you can do whatever you want with it, and\\
b) sometimes it's just a necessity to install something on it and make it start automatically.

As Titan consoles run on Windows Embedded which prevents you from doing many things you can do on a standard Windows installation (like, installing services, or autostart programs), you need to find another way of launching an additional app at system start. The example here is [[external:software_list|loopMIDI]] being installed **and made start automatically** on a TNP for a permanent installation.

===== - Open the Windows Explorer =====

In the Tools menu (top left) click on ''Folders''.

===== - Find Task Scheduler =====

In the left pane select 'This PC'. Then in the Search box (top-right) type 'task scheduler' and press ''Enter''. (You will have found by now that an external keyboard will save you lots of hassle. If you don't have one then open the onscreen keyboard and press ''Pause'' in order to prevent Titan from catching the key strokes).

{{:tricks:01_search.png?400|Searching for the Task Scheduler}}

Doubleclick on the one which lives in ''C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows...''

(Another way would be: Tools => Control Panel => More... to open Windows Control Panel, than doubleclick on ''Administrative Tools'', than doubleclick on ''Task Scheduler'').

===== - Create Task ... =====

In the Task Scheduler's Action pane (right) click on ''Create Task...''

{{:tricks:02_start.png?400|Task Scheduler 

start}}

===== - General =====

On the tab ''General'' give the new task a name and a description.

{{:tricks:03_general.png?400|The General tab}}

===== - Triggers =====

On the tab ''Triggers'' click at ''New...'' and select ''At log on'', to make the task being executed every time the user is looged on.

{{:tricks:03_task_details.jpg?400|The Triggers tab}}

===== - Actions =====

On the ''Actions'' tab click ''New'', select the Action ''Start a program'', and browse to the program (exe file). (In this example we make loopMIDI being started automatically).

{{:tricks:06_task_actions.jpg?400|The Actions tab}}

===== - Conditions =====

The ''Conditions'' tab does not require any changes.

{{:tricks:04_task_conditions.jpg?400|The Conditions tab}}

===== - Settings =====

On the ''Settings'' tab you may want to additionally check ''Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed''. Apart from that the default values are okay.

{{:tricks:05_task_settings.jpg?400|The Settings tab}}

===== - Confirm, close windows =====

Confirm the new task's settings and close all windows. Next time you start the console the task will be executed.