Run batch like a Screensaver

I need to run a batch in place of a screensaver and find that the Task
Scheduler trigger settings for "When computer is idle" is
incomprehensible no matter how much research I have done. The need is to
have the batch initiate some actions on a time basis before locking the
PC and disconnecting the LAN which both a screensaver and
LockWorkStation do. There is no UnLockWorkStation command available.

I hope someone can help with the various Task Scheduler settings or
direct me to a simple online site that can.

Zaidy036 wrote:

have the batch initiate some actions on a time basis before locking the
PC and disconnecting the LAN which both a screensaver and
LockWorkStation do.

You can lock the workstation using a command inside a batch file. The
batch file would have to run with elevated privileges. .bat files
require interpretation by the command-line interpreter (cmd.exe) aka
shell. Since LockWorkStation locks the current Windows account, it
works with your account's permissions, and does not require elevated
privileges.

In the .bat file, add the following with any other commands:

other commands
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

If you put any commands after that one, you won't see them run, and I'm
not sure the .bat file will pend until you get around to unlocking the
workstation. That takes care of a batch file locking the workstation.

In Task Scheduler, create a new event that runs:

cmd.exe /c yourbatfile

If that doesn't work, check if enabling the "Run with highest
privileges" option in the event allows rundll32.exe to successfully call
the LockWorkStation method in the user32.dll library.

However, you don't need a batch file to lock the workstation at a
partiticular time, when the computer goes idle, or whatever event
trigger you choose. Instead of the scheduled event calling cmd.exe to
interpret the .bat file, why not just have the scheduled event directly
run the rundll32.exe program? The scheduled event would simply have:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

as its action (the command it runs). I don't know why you think you
need to use a batch file to run the rundll32.exe program unless you
omitted that you have other commands you want to run before the lock.

Just be careful when defining a scheduled event's action. To define it,
you specify the program to run and any parameters to give it. The above
command line has both a program AND a parameter specified. So, in the
event, you would define its Program/Script it runs as:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe

and its arguments as:

user32.dll,LockWorkStation

No double-quoting is needed for the command (in a .bat file or as the
command) because there are no space characters in the command nor in the
argument.

To trigger the scheduled event when the computer goes idle (there's not
setting for how long to be idling, but see a bit later), create a new
scheduled event or edit one, and for its trigger, select "When computer
is idle" for the "Begin the task" selection. The trigger event doesn't
let you specify how long to be idling before running the event's
command. Go under the Conditions tab, and there is a "Start the task
only if the computer is idle for" setting. So, you could have the
scheduled event run immediately when the computer goes idle (yeah, try
finding a definition of that detection), or you could trigger the
scheduled event when the computer goes idle and has been idle from some
minimum number of minutes (the list is fixed for timeout selections).

If you enable the "Start the task only if the computer is idle" option,
and since you're doing a one-way action (locking the workstation),
you'll want to disable the sub-option "Stop if the computer ceases to be
idle". You want the computer to stayed locked until YOU decide to
unlock it, not because something started in the background that ceased
the computer being idle. This option might be superfluous since after
starting the .bat or rundll32 command, it won't still be running to be
stopped later.

On 7/9/2020 11:20 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Zaidy036 wrote:

have the batch initiate some actions on a time basis before locking the
PC and disconnecting the LAN which both a screensaver and
LockWorkStation do.

You can lock the workstation using a command inside a batch file. The
batch file would have to run with elevated privileges. .bat files
require interpretation by the command-line interpreter (cmd.exe) aka
shell. Since LockWorkStation locks the current Windows account, it
works with your account's permissions, and does not require elevated
privileges.

In the .bat file, add the following with any other commands:

other commands
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

If you put any commands after that one, you won't see them run, and I'm
not sure the .bat file will pend until you get around to unlocking the
workstation. That takes care of a batch file locking the workstation.

In Task Scheduler, create a new event that runs:

cmd.exe /c yourbatfile

If that doesn't work, check if enabling the "Run with highest
privileges" option in the event allows rundll32.exe to successfully call
the LockWorkStation method in the user32.dll library.

However, you don't need a batch file to lock the workstation at a
partiticular time, when the computer goes idle, or whatever event
trigger you choose. Instead of the scheduled event calling cmd.exe to
interpret the .bat file, why not just have the scheduled event directly
run the rundll32.exe program? The scheduled event would simply have:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

as its action (the command it runs). I don't know why you think you
need to use a batch file to run the rundll32.exe program unless you
omitted that you have other commands you want to run before the lock.

Just be careful when defining a scheduled event's action. To define it,
you specify the program to run and any parameters to give it. The above
command line has both a program AND a parameter specified. So, in the
event, you would define its Program/Script it runs as:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe

and its arguments as:

user32.dll,LockWorkStation

No double-quoting is needed for the command (in a .bat file or as the
command) because there are no space characters in the command nor in the
argument.

To trigger the scheduled event when the computer goes idle (there's not
setting for how long to be idling, but see a bit later), create a new
scheduled event or edit one, and for its trigger, select "When computer
is idle" for the "Begin the task" selection. The trigger event doesn't
let you specify how long to be idling before running the event's
command. Go under the Conditions tab, and there is a "Start the task
only if the computer is idle for" setting. So, you could have the
scheduled event run immediately when the computer goes idle (yeah, try
finding a definition of that detection), or you could trigger the
scheduled event when the computer goes idle and has been idle from some
minimum number of minutes (the list is fixed for timeout selections).

If you enable the "Start the task only if the computer is idle" option,
and since you're doing a one-way action (locking the workstation),
you'll want to disable the sub-option "Stop if the computer ceases to be
idle". You want the computer to stayed locked until YOU decide to
unlock it, not because something started in the background that ceased
the computer being idle. This option might be superfluous since after
starting the .bat or rundll32 command, it won't still be running to be
stopped later.

I appreciate your effort above but maybe I was not clear in what I am
trying to do.

I want to run a batch after the computer is idle for a selected amount
of time. I would use the batch to make a selection of what to do next.
This is similar to the action of running a screensaver but would not
lock the work station or run a screensaver unless the batch made that
choice in its command logic.

I need the batch because there is no UnLockWorkStation command in
User32.dll and LockWorkStation and all screensavers also lock my LAN so
I cannot access my NAS using my unattended overnight batch.

I am not on a domain so I cannot use the policy editor to overcome this
limitation. See:

Zaidy036 wrote:
[...]
I appreciate your effort above but maybe I was not clear in what I am
trying to do.

I want to run a batch after the computer is idle for a selected amount
of time. I would use the batch to make a selection of what to do next.
This is similar to the action of running a screensaver but would not
lock the work station or run a screensaver unless the batch made that
choice in its command logic.

I need the batch because there is no UnLockWorkStation command in
User32.dll and LockWorkStation and all screensavers also lock my LAN so
I cannot access my NAS using my unattended overnight batch.

I am not on a domain so I cannot use the policy editor to overcome this
limitation. See:

Running a task after the computer is idle for a selected amount of
time is a setting on the 'Conditions' tab of a Task Scheduler task.

IMO opinion, you've still not explained - also not in the previous
thread - why you 'need' a screensaver instead of just letting the
display blank ('turn off') after a timeout. You said you couldn't see
the messages from the batch after unblanking the display, but that
hasn't been a problem for decades, so I still don't see what the/your
*actual* problem is.

So:

- Can you run a task after the computer is idle for a selected amount of
time? Yes or no? If no, why not?

- Can you blank ('Turn off display after ... minutes') the display?
Yes or no? If no, why not?

- Can you read the messages from the batch after unblanking the display?
Yes or no? If no, why not?

- Why do you - think - you need a screensaver (instead of just turning
off the display after ... minutes)?

Zaidy036 wrote:

On 7/9/2020 11:20 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Zaidy036 wrote:

have the batch initiate some actions on a time basis before locking the
PC and disconnecting the LAN which both a screensaver and
LockWorkStation do.

You can lock the workstation using a command inside a batch file. The
batch file would have to run with elevated privileges. .bat files
require interpretation by the command-line interpreter (cmd.exe) aka
shell. Since LockWorkStation locks the current Windows account, it
works with your account's permissions, and does not require elevated
privileges.

In the .bat file, add the following with any other commands:

other commands
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

If you put any commands after that one, you won't see them run, and I'm
not sure the .bat file will pend until you get around to unlocking the
workstation. That takes care of a batch file locking the workstation.

In Task Scheduler, create a new event that runs:

cmd.exe /c yourbatfile

If that doesn't work, check if enabling the "Run with highest
privileges" option in the event allows rundll32.exe to successfully call
the LockWorkStation method in the user32.dll library.

However, you don't need a batch file to lock the workstation at a
partiticular time, when the computer goes idle, or whatever event
trigger you choose. Instead of the scheduled event calling cmd.exe to
interpret the .bat file, why not just have the scheduled event directly
run the rundll32.exe program? The scheduled event would simply have:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

as its action (the command it runs). I don't know why you think you
need to use a batch file to run the rundll32.exe program unless you
omitted that you have other commands you want to run before the lock.

Just be careful when defining a scheduled event's action. To define it,
you specify the program to run and any parameters to give it. The above
command line has both a program AND a parameter specified. So, in the
event, you would define its Program/Script it runs as:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe

and its arguments as:

user32.dll,LockWorkStation

No double-quoting is needed for the command (in a .bat file or as the
command) because there are no space characters in the command nor in the
argument.

To trigger the scheduled event when the computer goes idle (there's not
setting for how long to be idling, but see a bit later), create a new
scheduled event or edit one, and for its trigger, select "When computer
is idle" for the "Begin the task" selection. The trigger event doesn't
let you specify how long to be idling before running the event's
command. Go under the Conditions tab, and there is a "Start the task
only if the computer is idle for" setting. So, you could have the
scheduled event run immediately when the computer goes idle (yeah, try
finding a definition of that detection), or you could trigger the
scheduled event when the computer goes idle and has been idle from some
minimum number of minutes (the list is fixed for timeout selections).

If you enable the "Start the task only if the computer is idle" option,
and since you're doing a one-way action (locking the workstation),
you'll want to disable the sub-option "Stop if the computer ceases to be
idle". You want the computer to stayed locked until YOU decide to
unlock it, not because something started in the background that ceased
the computer being idle. This option might be superfluous since after
starting the .bat or rundll32 command, it won't still be running to be
stopped later.

I appreciate your effort above but maybe I was not clear in what I am
trying to do.

I want to run a batch after the computer is idle for a selected amount
of time.

Scheduled event triggers on computer going idle but with condition that
the event not run until the computer had been idle for awhile.

I would use the batch to make a selection of what to do next.
This is similar to the action of running a screensaver but would not
lock the work station or run a screensaver unless the batch made that
choice in its command logic.

The rundll32.exe program gets run in the batch script based on what you
code in the script.

I need the batch because there is no UnLockWorkStation command in
User32.dll and LockWorkStation and all screensavers also lock my LAN so
I cannot access my NAS using my unattended overnight batch.

So, the problem is the computer is getting locked before the scheduled
time to run your batch script? There's an option in the scheduled event
for its Conditions to wake the computer, so the action for the event can
get performed.

Most of my user-defined scheduled events have the "Wake computer" option
enabled to ensure they can run at the scheduled time.

I am not on a domain so I cannot use the policy editor to overcome this
limitation. See:

All policies are registry entries. Anyone using regedit.exe can define
the policies. The problem is knowing where are the registry entries,
and to what you set them.

Microsoft provides a spreadsheet of policy settings and their registry
entries, at:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=56946
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=25250

The only registry entries you cannot enter using regedit.exe are those
that have a hash generated for them. For example, some Software
Restriction Policies (SRPs) are hashed, and you can't create the hash.

On 7/10/2020 4:08 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Zaidy036 wrote:

On 7/9/2020 11:20 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Zaidy036 wrote:

have the batch initiate some actions on a time basis before locking the
PC and disconnecting the LAN which both a screensaver and
LockWorkStation do.

You can lock the workstation using a command inside a batch file. The
batch file would have to run with elevated privileges. .bat files
require interpretation by the command-line interpreter (cmd.exe) aka
shell. Since LockWorkStation locks the current Windows account, it
works with your account's permissions, and does not require elevated
privileges.

In the .bat file, add the following with any other commands:

other commands
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

If you put any commands after that one, you won't see them run, and I'm
not sure the .bat file will pend until you get around to unlocking the
workstation. That takes care of a batch file locking the workstation.

In Task Scheduler, create a new event that runs:

cmd.exe /c yourbatfile

If that doesn't work, check if enabling the "Run with highest
privileges" option in the event allows rundll32.exe to successfully call
the LockWorkStation method in the user32.dll library.

However, you don't need a batch file to lock the workstation at a
partiticular time, when the computer goes idle, or whatever event
trigger you choose. Instead of the scheduled event calling cmd.exe to
interpret the .bat file, why not just have the scheduled event directly
run the rundll32.exe program? The scheduled event would simply have:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

as its action (the command it runs). I don't know why you think you
need to use a batch file to run the rundll32.exe program unless you
omitted that you have other commands you want to run before the lock.

Just be careful when defining a scheduled event's action. To define it,
you specify the program to run and any parameters to give it. The above
command line has both a program AND a parameter specified. So, in the
event, you would define its Program/Script it runs as:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe

and its arguments as:

user32.dll,LockWorkStation

No double-quoting is needed for the command (in a .bat file or as the
command) because there are no space characters in the command nor in the
argument.

To trigger the scheduled event when the computer goes idle (there's not
setting for how long to be idling, but see a bit later), create a new
scheduled event or edit one, and for its trigger, select "When computer
is idle" for the "Begin the task" selection. The trigger event doesn't
let you specify how long to be idling before running the event's
command. Go under the Conditions tab, and there is a "Start the task
only if the computer is idle for" setting. So, you could have the
scheduled event run immediately when the computer goes idle (yeah, try
finding a definition of that detection), or you could trigger the
scheduled event when the computer goes idle and has been idle from some
minimum number of minutes (the list is fixed for timeout selections).

If you enable the "Start the task only if the computer is idle" option,
and since you're doing a one-way action (locking the workstation),
you'll want to disable the sub-option "Stop if the computer ceases to be
idle". You want the computer to stayed locked until YOU decide to
unlock it, not because something started in the background that ceased
the computer being idle. This option might be superfluous since after
starting the .bat or rundll32 command, it won't still be running to be
stopped later.

I appreciate your effort above but maybe I was not clear in what I am
trying to do.

I want to run a batch after the computer is idle for a selected amount
of time.

Scheduled event triggers on computer going idle but with condition that
the event not run until the computer had been idle for awhile.

I would use the batch to make a selection of what to do next.
This is similar to the action of running a screensaver but would not
lock the work station or run a screensaver unless the batch made that
choice in its command logic.

The rundll32.exe program gets run in the batch script based on what you
code in the script.

I need the batch because there is no UnLockWorkStation command in
User32.dll and LockWorkStation and all screensavers also lock my LAN so
I cannot access my NAS using my unattended overnight batch.

So, the problem is the computer is getting locked before the scheduled
time to run your batch script? There's an option in the scheduled event
for its Conditions to wake the computer, so the action for the event can
get performed.

Most of my user-defined scheduled events have the "Wake computer" option
enabled to ensure they can run at the scheduled time.

I am not on a domain so I cannot use the policy editor to overcome this
limitation. See:

All policies are registry entries. Anyone using regedit.exe can define
the policies. The problem is knowing where are the registry entries,
and to what you set them.

Microsoft provides a spreadsheet of policy settings and their registry
entries, at:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=56946
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=25250

The only registry entries you cannot enter using regedit.exe are those
that have a hash generated for them. For example, some Software
Restriction Policies (SRPs) are hashed, and you can't create the hash.

My experience is that screensavers and LockWorkstation cause a LAN
disconnect so that when either is active one cannot run batch commands
successfully if they include reading or writing to an NAS. My batch
includes making copies of files and folders to my NAS using RoboCopy and
also writes images to the NAS using Acronis.

I have now found a solution using the temporary unlock feature of
PTFBpro, an advanced "button pusher". PTFB is capable of unlocking the
workstation and once a read or write starts then Window's holds the
"pipe" open until completion. There is no visible screen indication that
an unlock is in effect and I expect that security (login password) is
maintained at all times.

Zaidy036 wrote:

My experience is that screensavers and LockWorkstation cause a LAN
disconnect so that when either is active one cannot run batch commands
successfully if they include reading or writing to an NAS. My batch
includes making copies of files and folders to my NAS using RoboCopy and
also writes images to the NAS using Acronis.

I have now found a solution using the temporary unlock feature of
PTFBpro, an advanced "button pusher". PTFB is capable of unlocking the
workstation and once a read or write starts then Window's holds the
"pipe" open until completion. There is no visible screen indication that
an unlock is in effect and I expect that security (login password) is
maintained at all times.

That's why I mentioned the "wake computer" option for a scheduled event.

Many backup programs can not only save an image file to an internal or
external drive, but also save a copy using FTP to some other host. If
networking were disabled, the backup program couldn't use FTP. Every
backup program that I've used that uses Task Scheduler (instead of their
own backgrounded scheduler process) enables the "wake computer" option.
Some download managers can retrieve files on a schedule, and they, too,
would need a working network connection when they ran on a schedule.

In Windows, you need to ensure the wake timers are enabled. Control
Panel - Hardware and Sound - Power Options, scroll down to Sleep,
expand Allow wake timers, make sure they are enabled.

But how will you ensure the /other/ host is awake, so it has network
connectivity? Have you disabled all sleep, hibernate, screen saver, or
lock workstation settings over there? Have you gone into its BIOS/UEFI
power management settings to ensure "Wake on LAN" is enabled?

I don't remember LockWorkstation disabling the NIC (network interface
controller). Its description only mentions locking the display to
protect from accidental or unauthorized use. Not even the mouse or
keyboard are locked, because those are used to awaken and allow password
input. More likely your NIC driver or software is not enabled for "Wake
on LAN". Go into Device Manager (devmgmt.msc), open the Network Adapter
tree node, double-click your NIC to see its properties, and go under the
Advanced tab. Scroll down to see if "Wake on Magic Packet" is enabled.

The "Wake computer" option for the scheduled event on your computer
should allow the action for that event to run. You need the BIOS on the
other computer to have "Wake on LAN" enabled, and ensure the other
computer's NIC is configured for "Wake on Magic Packet".

In addition, as insurance on the computer where the scheduled event will
run, go into the NIC's properties, Power Management tab, and disable the
"Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". I have
encountered some poorly coded NIC drivers that would not reset the NIC
on resuming out of low-power mode to ensure the NIC was in a known or
initial state. Not being initialized means the device or driver may not
know how to accept further operational requests.

A NIC that doesn't initialize upon wake up is a ****ed device or driver,
and not the fault of the OS. The OS can only issue a reset on all
devices, not force them to initialize. When you boot Windows, that
flash of the keyboard LEDs indicates when a reset was sent to all
devices to initialize them to a known state. The device or driver might
not honor the reset request. I've seen DSP modems that wouldn't reset
on a wake, so dial-up failed thereafter until you rebooted the computer
(which makes the CPU send a reset).

On 7/13/2020 7:09 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Zaidy036 wrote:

My experience is that screensavers and LockWorkstation cause a LAN
disconnect so that when either is active one cannot run batch commands
successfully if they include reading or writing to an NAS. My batch
includes making copies of files and folders to my NAS using RoboCopy and
also writes images to the NAS using Acronis.

I have now found a solution using the temporary unlock feature of
PTFBpro, an advanced "button pusher". PTFB is capable of unlocking the
workstation and once a read or write starts then Window's holds the
"pipe" open until completion. There is no visible screen indication that
an unlock is in effect and I expect that security (login password) is
maintained at all times.

That's why I mentioned the "wake computer" option for a scheduled event.

Many backup programs can not only save an image file to an internal or
external drive, but also save a copy using FTP to some other host. If
networking were disabled, the backup program couldn't use FTP. Every
backup program that I've used that uses Task Scheduler (instead of their
own backgrounded scheduler process) enables the "wake computer" option.
Some download managers can retrieve files on a schedule, and they, too,
would need a working network connection when they ran on a schedule.

In Windows, you need to ensure the wake timers are enabled. Control
Panel - Hardware and Sound - Power Options, scroll down to Sleep,
expand Allow wake timers, make sure they are enabled.

But how will you ensure the /other/ host is awake, so it has network
connectivity? Have you disabled all sleep, hibernate, screen saver, or
lock workstation settings over there? Have you gone into its BIOS/UEFI
power management settings to ensure "Wake on LAN" is enabled?

I don't remember LockWorkstation disabling the NIC (network interface
controller). Its description only mentions locking the display to
protect from accidental or unauthorized use. Not even the mouse or
keyboard are locked, because those are used to awaken and allow password
input. More likely your NIC driver or software is not enabled for "Wake
on LAN". Go into Device Manager (devmgmt.msc), open the Network Adapter
tree node, double-click your NIC to see its properties, and go under the
Advanced tab. Scroll down to see if "Wake on Magic Packet" is enabled.

The "Wake computer" option for the scheduled event on your computer
should allow the action for that event to run. You need the BIOS on the
other computer to have "Wake on LAN" enabled, and ensure the other
computer's NIC is configured for "Wake on Magic Packet".

In addition, as insurance on the computer where the scheduled event will
run, go into the NIC's properties, Power Management tab, and disable the
"Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". I have
encountered some poorly coded NIC drivers that would not reset the NIC
on resuming out of low-power mode to ensure the NIC was in a known or
initial state. Not being initialized means the device or driver may not
know how to accept further operational requests.

A NIC that doesn't initialize upon wake up is a ****ed device or driver,
and not the fault of the OS. The OS can only issue a reset on all
devices, not force them to initialize. When you boot Windows, that
flash of the keyboard LEDs indicates when a reset was sent to all
devices to initialize them to a known state. The device or driver might
not honor the reset request. I've seen DSP modems that wouldn't reset
on a wake, so dial-up failed thereafter until you rebooted the computer
(which makes the CPU send a reset).

I investigated everything, and even more, that you mentioned before
asking in this newsgroup. I have been looking for alternatives and
thought a batch might work.

All the settings are as you describe and I have also installed and set
to eliminate the extra hidden sleep that MS does not announce.
https://appuals.com/windows-10-sleeps-after-1-4-minutes-of-inactivity/.

I just think the FTP and other programs are unlocking in the background
just like PTFBpro does.