A program for automating computer processes. AutoIt - automation of routine actions on a computer

Any PC user has repeatedly asked the question: "How to get an iron friend to perform routine tasks?" So that there is more time left for truly creative work, and not for performing monotonous and monotonous operations. Programmers and administrators are constantly asking this question, since many by the nature of their service daily babysit a fleet of iron machines. And since demand creates supply, the software market constantly sees products designed to free PC users from routine work. Let's make a reservation right away that there is no really universal remedy, the so-called "silver bullet", otherwise life would not be interesting at all. But there are certainly successes in different directions. The selfless deeds of foreign and domestic software developers sometimes lead to quite interesting results.

Actions You can use Actions to simply take actions you define. Free software requires a lot of work with routine tasks. In the "Steps" section, you can edit individual actions. The instructions are determined in stages. Individual possible steps can be found in the "Step" area. Each statement contains detailed explanation exactly what caused. In the fourth area, you can make settings such as which address you want to send emails from.

Those of us who use our computer very often find ourselves needing to repeat a series of actions or tasks over and over again. This is something that eventually becomes monotonous and even tedious, because we have to do the same, with the same steps and in the same order, as always. The solution might be some form of task automation.

AutoMate 6

http://www.networkautomation.com/automate/

I'll start my review with an industry leader in PC automation, AutoMate. Network Automation has been developing for over 10 years. That is why it has grown into a rather powerful tool. The program has a modern user interface.

What tasks can you automate with AutoMate? Almost everything. Here are some of them:
Backup
Recording of user actions and subsequent playback
Launching Applications
Working with the database
Windows message monitoring
Working with the registry
Generating reports
Sound reading of text
Setting alarms
Data compression and encryption
VBA support
Work with FTP, E-MAIL
Reading and writing files

Tools for automating tasks

To avoid all this and save a lot of time, we can use different applications that are responsible for completing these repetitive tasks for us, all in a simple and intuitive way. With these applications, you can automate almost any task. This application is free, powerful and very easy to use. It is small and does not boot a system with too many processes running in background.

Simple Learning Language Simulates keystrokes and mouse movements.
Handles windows and processes.
Creates graphical user interfaces.

With the help of this simple application You can record keystrokes or mouse operations for programming and operation at any time.

The motto of the program “No code, No limits” is justified. Really write with your hands program code not required. The program is a visual constructor. Most of the operations are performed using the Drag & Drop operation. For experienced users there is VBA support.

Network Automation estimates that 85% of Automate users are system administrators and integrators. This is understandable. For an ordinary user, this is too expensive (the cost of one license for the Professional version is about $ 800) and a relatively complex product.

Unlike others, this program specializes in automating tasks with few clicks. Either way, you can download the trial version that does the job perfectly. What this program does is to "record" the procedures we perform for a task, and then play them back when we want.

The resulting macro can be saved as an executable file for reuse at any time. If you think there is another app that should be on this list or there are other comments, please be sure to let us know below. When working on a computer, you can sometimes focus on one task and ignore another. And among the daily tasks, there are many that we need to do often and even at a certain point in time. With the right tools, this step is easy to accomplish.

But system administrators of large companies will certainly be useful. Automate works with operating systems Windows NT 4.0, 2000, XP, 2003 Server.

AutoIt

http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/

The next product AutoIt also has a long history. An interesting fact is that AutoIt was originally developed by a biker programmer from the city of Birmingham, in the UK. More than a dozen programmers are currently working on AutoIt. So, what is this product useful for, what advantages and disadvantages does it have?

Now in this post, we will introduce useful and simple ways solutions to this problem. However, the steps for setting up tasks are basically the same. Below is a guide on how to use this program. Open Control Panel, select System and Security, Administrative Tools and double-click Task Scheduler. Options include daily, weekly, monthly, once, etc. if you selected a time slot, you will be prompted to set certain time for execution. Review the information in the window and click Finish to complete the configuration. ... The main disadvantages of this tool are that the operations are a little tedious and some programs cannot be activated properly.

AutoIt is a scripting language similar to BASIC. The main purpose is to automate work with the Windows graphical user interface.

AutoIt is able to:
Run Windows and DOS programs
Simulate keyboard shortcuts
Simulate mouse pointer movements and button clicks
Move, resize and control window display options
Directly interact with the "control elements" of the window (get / change the label, move, disable, etc. actions)
Work with the clipboard to send its text content
Read, modify and create registry keys and values

Don't be confused by its name, as the automatic shutdown of your computer is only one of its functions. It is a simple yet very powerful program that has an easy-to-use interface. Press the green button to download and install the software, then open it. It is completely free that you do not need to pay anything.

Set the time in the "Trigger" section. You can choose to run the task for a few minutes, at a specific time of day, every day, or repeat every specific period of time. Select Action from the drop-down menu. In addition, it also allows you to select "Open Web Page" to automatically open a web page in your browser. Click the button next to File Name to find the file or program that you want to run automatically. You can then set a countdown to remind you when the scheduled task is completed, so you can decide to cancel or resume the task as you see fit.

AutoIt includes a script interpreter and compiler. If you have written and debugged your own script, you can easily turn it into a regular exe-file that already works autonomously. For sequential execution of the received files, it is enough to write a command windows file(for example mytask.cmd) with the following content:

Start / wait task1.exe
Start / wait task2.exe
….
Start / wait taskN.exe

Click "Add to Action List" and "Start" to set up the task correctly. Minimize the interface and the software will run in the background and perform scheduled tasks as configured. Moreover, it does not even require installation as such, but is a portable program in an executable format that can be opened at any time without taking up space or consuming unnecessary resources on the computer. Once we open it, we will see a minimal window with controls like open file, recording, playback or saving among several others.

All tasks will be sequentially launched and completed.

The disadvantage of the program is the lack of a single interface, control center. There are a number of user interface programs available, however they are distributed separately. The most useful of these is the ScriptWriter, which records user actions and generates a script file.

Write down any task to make it automatic

Basically, we need functions for recording, playing and saving; this way we can automate any task, make sure it was recorded correctly, and then save it, just like an executable file. The operation is as simple as in the first step, click on the option to record and from here we can do any task with the mouse and keyboard. Once we already have any automatic task, by clicking the Compile button, we can choose a location to save the executable file that triggers the action we just recorded.

As conceived by the creators of AutoIt was supposed to be a means of "replicating configurations" of the PC. But since the creation of the third version, its capabilities can be used to implement the "kitchen" of automation - writing scripts for solving various problems, including for system administration.

The product is absolutely free and does not impose any serious requirements on the computer hardware. There is a fairly large army of fans of this scripting language in the world.

You can create tasks for as long as necessary, and you can save several in the same folder with a name that describes them. Thus, we just need to click on executable file that corresponds to an automatic action so that it will execute on its own. However, it is enough that the location of the window changes, for example, so that the task of clicking on a specific location does not match what we want.

Load planning and workflow automation. Schedule and automate file transfers from a centralized console. The computer will be responsible for safely moving or synchronizing information between your home and office as scheduled.

Let's move on to the next product designed to make the difficult life of users easier. If the programs we reviewed earlier claim some kind of versatility, since in theory they can solve most automation tasks, then the next product is "sharpened" for a single task - automatic installation of programs.

File masks and batch operations

Packing using masks in the file name allows flexible customization of the list of files to be transferred.

Before and after transfer

Due to compatibility with local and remote commands, files are automatically compressed, and files and directories are also decompressed and decompressed without intervention.

Then click Maintenance to display your options. In the Automatic Maintenance section, click Change Maintenance Settings. In the next window, set the hour that you usually turn on your computer and check the box next to "Allow scheduled maintenance to restart the computer at the scheduled time."

MultiSet 2.0

http://www.almeza.com/rus/

Each of us, after visiting a computer with a virus or a "disease" of the hard drive, or even just a planned per Windows installations, I had to be patient, take out a bunch of disks and install the necessary software, sequentially pressing the Next, OK, Finish buttons, placing the necessary checkboxes and entering serial number... I must say a very "creative" occupation.

After that, your team will be ready to perform their maintenance periodically and without the need to interfere. Another task that you can automate is to regularly delete temporary files, or unnecessary files that the system no longer needs.

To do this, go to the Start screen and type Task Scheduler. As a result, access to this program will appear. Start by entering an identification name for the task and, if you like, a description of its function. It now specifies the frequency with which to clean up files.

MultiSet is specially made in order to free users from routine work - installation of applications. The user does not need to write no lines of code. It is enough to install the required application once and MultiSet will remember all your actions. In the future, MultiSet will install all the required applications automatically.

The program has a simple and intuitive interface. Works on the entire line of Windows, except for Windows 95. The program works on the principle of a recording device. The user only needs to install the application once while the MultiSet is in recording mode. MultiSet will remember all your actions and, after the end of recording, will generate an automatic installation package. When you need to install the application again, the user will just have to select it in the list and press the "Install" button.

For example, select the Monthly check box and continue with the wizard to specify the schedule on which the task will run. Then check the box next to Run this program, then Next. When it starts up, it will start Disk Cleanup, which will check and delete files that the system no longer needs.

Another important aspect for maintaining your computer is to always have latest version the programs you have installed. This update is in many cases done through the app itself, which notifies you that an update is already available, but finally you need to download and install new version... Automate this too!

With this program, you can create a disc with automatic installation programs. After installing Windows, it is enough to insert such a disc into the CD / DVD drive, then the program will do everything itself. All programs will be installed automatically.

The objective advantage of the program is its ease of use. The user does not need any special knowledge. MultiSet will take over all the automation work. Of the shortcomings, it should be noted that some programs have to work hard to install them in automatic mode.

The first step is to access your web page to create an installer file that will contain the programs you use regularly. The installer will then download to your computer. Run it by double clicking on it and install the programs that you checked during creation or update if you have already installed them.

4: Automate software updates

Access the Task Scheduler from the main screen, just like in the previous parser. For example, select the Monthly checkbox and click Next. Finally, click Next and Finish to create a task and update the software automatically.

MultiSet can act as a completely autonomous environment for automating the installation of applications on users' computers, or as a separate module in any system. To do this, MultiSet uses the command line. If the parameters command line You specify an installation package, then MultiSet will install desired application and will immediately complete its work.

Many of the tasks we perform every day can be automated. It will do this on its own without interfering or wasting time. Your task is to automate tasks. None of them will complete this table that you asked for today.

But there are few things you can do and that take the time together. Your design is probably not friendly and opening it up the first time will give you a little renovation, but if you check its features you will see that you can customize it to your liking and schedule more or less complex tasks. Plus, it has a practical helper if you don't know very well how to start programming a problem.

This article contains short review programs designed to automate work on a PC. We will be glad if they will be useful to the reader and will become faithful helpers in everyday life.

In the age of industrialization, technological progress and rapid development information technologies performing any repetitive actions by attracting human resources is simply a stupid and inappropriate expenditure of energy. Current technologies quite allow to carry out all monotonous actions that do not require a creative approach and complex mental labor through the use of specialized hardware and software tools... This article will look at some of them that are applicable to computers.

Getting Started with Task Scheduler

To start using Task Scheduler, you have to open it. The programmer allows you to create two types of tasks: basic and normal. Both are created from the right sidebar of the program, and when you have a lot of them, you can group them into folders.

How to create an advanced task with task scheduler

The main task is determined by the wizard, which asks you for all the necessary parameters for the task to be created correctly. Follow the instructions and you will see that in a few minutes you will receive your first tasks. If the main task does not fit your purpose, try creating a task. The task will be created in the central pane of the Task Scheduler and you will have to navigate through the tabs in the lower half of the main window to configure it.

This simple action is carried out through the base system / interface, flashed into the computer's motherboard (usually BIOS or more new development- UEFI).

Let's consider this action in the BIOS. When turning on or restarting the computer, bring up the BIOS interface by pressing the Delete keys (on most motherboards, including laptops), Esc (for boards with Phoenix BIOS and for Toshiba laptops), F1 (for Palit boards), F2 ( ASRock boards and Intel, as well as motherboards of many laptops), F12 or very rare combinations of F3 (for Sony, Dell laptops), F10 (for HP Compaq laptops), Ctrl + Alt, Ctrl + Alt + Esc, Ctrl + Alt + Insert. Typically, the key you need to do this is indicated when you turn on the computer.

Then select Power Management Setup or ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) or ACPI Function from the items that appear.

In the menu that appears, you will see the following items:

Power-On By Alarm (as an option - Wake up by Alarm, Automatic Power Up, Resume By RTC Alarm) - turn on by schedule. To activate, it must be “Enabled”, “Everyday” or “By Date” (turn on at a specific day and hour) or Date (of Month) Alarm (set to 0 for daily enable). Disconnects the same this mode by selecting the "Disabled" item.
Keyboard Power On (Power On By Mouse) - turn on (from sleep mode) when you press any key.
Mouse Power On (Power On By Keyboard) - turn on (from sleep mode) when the mouse button is pressed.
Date (of Month) - inclusion on a specific day. You can put daily (Everyday).
Resume Time (hh: mm: ss) - on time (hour: minute: second).

Saving the settings is usually done by pressing the F10 key. Then, in the window that appears, press the Y key (the case of letters does not matter) and Enter.

Remember to keep plugs (plugs) away from system unit connected to the network (to a socket, outlet, surge protector (extension cord, tee, adapter), etc.). Otherwise, the computer will not be able to turn on. For those who do not want to leave the equipment connected to the mains all the time (if the voltage is unstable, it can be dangerous), you can use a timer-socket (socket with a timer - turns on / off at a certain time).