Enikeyschik on a leash: Review of programs for automating routine operations. Automation of tasks regularly performed on a PC

The article was published on the Boris Lion website on June 21, 2008 - http://borislion.ru/ (This article was written by Boris Lyon, for which many thanks to him)

In this article, you will learn about automating routine actions on your computer. And also I will talk about how and with the help of what this automation can be organized.

Quite often on a computer you have to do some simple, but repetitive actions such as mouse movements, keystrokes, text input.

This is a monotonous and completely uninteresting job. How I would like it to be done by itself! Or, so that its execution would be taken over by the computer.

That's quite possible.

To solve this problem, there are special programsthat allow you to record user actions (mouse movements, keystrokes) and then play them back at the right time.

Roughly speaking, you show the computer what it needs to do, and then it will reproduce your actions then and as many times as you need.

In this case, the software with which you work will assume that the reproduced actions come exactly from the user, from you.

This way, you can automate any repetitive actions on your computer.

I tried several automation programs and most of all I was satisfied with the development of Denis Safonov called AutoClickExtreme:.

The AutoClickExtreme program serves just to automate repeated user actions.

With it, you can process tables in Excel, work through a large number of files, make a backup copy of important data, and also transfer databases from one format to another.

This is just a small part possible applications of this program. With it, you can automate almost any simple repetitive task.

Here are the useful features of AutoClickExtreme.

1. Ability to quickly replay recorded actions. A computer is faster than you and can do the same things ten times faster.
2. The ability to manually edit the result of recording actions. For example, you can remove unnecessary actions in the recording, such as unnecessary movement of the mouse.
3. Ability to insert text of any length instead of any short word ("autotext" function) in any program.
4. The launch of a specific playback can be tied to a hotkey. And using this key, launch it at any time you need.
5. The ability to play back recorded actions in a loop any number of times. Put on 100,000 cycles and go to bed, everything will do itself.
6. The ability to insert arbitrary delay into recorded actions. You can postpone the start for any period of time, insert a delay command between any actions.

Besides the advantages, there are some limitations when using AutoClickExtreme.

1. Does not always adequately reproduce recorded actions in games based on DirectX.
2. There is no way to work with console programs, since work with it is based on other principles of entering information from the keyboard and mouse than Windows applications.

Personal automation is a creative business, for sure you can come up with some kind of original application of this program.

I will now give you some valuable ideas for using AutoClickExtreme.

• In your absence, it is possible to run any programs or processes. Moreover, your computer itself may well do complex things such as launching an Internet connection, connecting to a specific site and performing some actions on it.
• It is possible to perform actions for programs running with long delays. It is better to leave in your absence the "robot" instead of itself, which will continue the business after the completion of any lengthy process.
• Organization of launching certain programs and documents when the computer boots up so that you can immediately start working with them. Another option is to prepare several options for running programs or documents, depending on the type of work. And there will be no need to waste time preparing before work.
• Configure your own "hotkeys" that were not provided in a particular program. Write down the necessary actions with the program, and "hang" them on a specific hotkey.
• Process a large number of documents in bulk: databases, images, texts, making some standardized edits.
• It is possible to back up valuable documents on your computer. Automated backup of the most important folders to another medium, which would be done without your presence, will protect your work files from loss in case of failures.
• If you need to automate something to number or calculate in your work, you can use standard program "calculator" or Excel, where the data is inserted, the calculation is carried out and the result is then copied to another file.
• It is convenient to distribute information from one document to several different ones.

Why does it make sense to automate your work as much as possible with AutoClickExtreme?

• You can save time and nerves that you would spend on routine operations.
• By calling recorded actions to hotkeys, you can give yourself additional tools for work, saving you even more time.
• You completely rule out errors. The human factor works, and when performing the same type of work, sometimes there will be shortcomings. The computer is not wrong.

Overall I liked AutoClickExtreme. It is interesting that the demo record draws quite complex images "by hand" in the graphics editor Paint. It's worth looking at.

Summing up, I can say that optimizing and automating your work on a computer is an important topic that allows you to get a lot of benefits. AutoClickExtreme is a very useful tool that I advise you to try and use.

Windows OC gained popularity primarily due to its user-friendly and intuitive interface. But if regular user I only won from this, but for the administrator, push-button control has many inconveniences. Of course, some tasks can be solved using console commands and scripts, but not all. And here special automation tools come to the rescue.

AutoIt

One of the most popular automation tools for admins is AutoIt (autoitscript.com/autoit3), which simulates keystrokes, mouse clicks, and other similar actions that a user usually performs when working in GUI applications.

Using AutoIt, all of these movements can be programmed using a BASIC-like language. The program can manage processes, access Windows API and DLL, registry, clipboard, files (read, change, delete), create GUI, messages, data entry forms, work with databases (MySQL and SQLite), read HTML code, download files, send e-mail and much more. In general, it all depends solely on the desire to tinker with the settings. It is gratifying that AutoIt does not require programming skills from the admin. In scripts, you can easily access window controls with just a couple of lines of code. Keep in mind, however, that AutoIt works seamlessly with standard Windows windows. If the authors took care of the uniqueness of the interface, you will have to sweat a little with the AutoIt setting to find the necessary parameters.

Supports Windows from 95 to 2k8, including works in 64-bit versions of the system, "friends" with whist's UAC. Conveniently, the scripts can be compiled into an exe and then executed on another machine. No additional applications and libraries are required.

AutoIt is distributed under a freeware license that allows its use without restrictions, including for commercial purposes. Installation is standard, there are no additional requirements. The current version is 3, which is not syntactically compatible with the previous, second version. The program comes with the SciTE4AutoIt3 script editor, the AU3Check.exe syntax checking utility, ready-made examples, the Aut2Exe compiler (and the reverse Exe2Aut) and help. During installation, the * .au3 extension will be associated with the AutoIt interpreter.

The scripting language used by AutoIt is one of its strengths... It is both powerful and simple. For example, to run a program, you just need to write:

That's it, no more action. AutoIt is a great way to automate the installation process for applications that don't support answer files. To catch windows, the WinWaitActive function is usually used to enter parameters, which interrupts the script execution until the window is activated. The window title and optional additional text should be specified as function parameters. The latter makes it possible to distinguish different windows of one program from each other. For example, the windows of the installer of AutoIt itself contain the same title - AutoIt v3.3.6.1.5, that is, if you use:

WinWaitActive ("AutoIt v3.3.6.1.5")

This design will follow all the steps of the installer. Therefore, it is better to clarify by entering additional text that is displayed in the window, for example:

WinWaitActive ("AutoIt v3.3.6.1.5", "License Agreement")

So we will definitely refer to the license agreement window. It remains only to send him a confirmation: Send ("! Y")

As you can see, everything is simple. Along with the programs, the AutoIt Window Info Tool (AU3Info.exe) utility is also installed, which will help you to get all the information on the window title, text (displayed and hidden), status bar, location, color and so on. We just start and move the cross over the window, after which we read all the values \u200b\u200bin the Window Info Tool. With its help, it is much easier to collect the necessary information on the experimental program window. Help in AutoIt is very detailed, it has all the subtleties of using the language. In the documentation on the project website, you will find a link to the translated version of the help. Plus, on numerous specialized forums, there is usually a separate branch. There should not be any problems in learning AutoIt, in one evening you can learn how to write simple scripts, complex solutions will naturally require a lot of time.

Xstarter

One more popular program for automation routine tasks sysadmin. The developer is our compatriot, Aleksey Gilev (xstarter.com/rus), respectively, xStarter has a localized interface, and most importantly, the program is distributed free of charge for Russian-speaking users.

Once installed, xStarter can be started manually, automatically when the user logs in, or started as a Windows service. The latter option allows you to run the task at exactly the specified time, regardless of the user's registration in the system and other factors, as long as the computer is turned on. It offers periodic execution of tasks, a compound schedule, setting skips and actions for missed tasks, triggering by event. In general, there are more than enough options. Using xStarter, you can expand the list of hotkeys or override their values \u200b\u200bglobally or locally. For example, you can easily make the task run when you press the key combination , but only if Firefox is running.

The launched program is placed in the tray, by clicking on the icon, we call the task editor. In the Sections / Tasks window, we will find two dozen examples, as they say, for all cases. Enabled tasks are marked with a green icon.

We select the one that is closest in meaning (or create a new task), copy it using the context menu and edit it to fit our needs. Each task is configurable in four tabs. So, in the "Schedule and Information" tab, we indicate the name of the task, the time or event at which it will be launched, a key combination and optionally active window the program, upon the appearance of which the task should be performed. The "Actions" tab contains the actual macros. Press "New action" - a window for setting parameters appears. On the left side, we find the presets, divided into several groups, then specify the parameters on the right side. The rest of the task tabs allow you to configure variables, set priority, run in a separate process, logging. Everything is very simple and straightforward.

To activate blocked functions, you should additionally install the xStartHooks module. In this case, xStarter will behave like a typical Trojan or malicious software - it will start to intercept system calls, "press" keys and send messages, which may not like antivirus and firewalls. But with some antiviruses (for example, NOD32) this can be easily solved, just add xStarter to the exceptions.

For convenience, macros can be compiled into an exe file, and all the necessary libraries can be automatically added here under certain settings. Then we distribute such files to other systems and execute.

It remains to add that all Windows operating systems from NT4 to 2k8 / 7 are supported.

On the project forum you can find examples of some popular tasks, including downloading files, sending SMS and e-mail, backup and data synchronization.
There is also a special version of Starter Job Scheduler for Firebird / Interbase available on the site, it is designed to execute SQL scripts, backup and restore data in these DBMS. Another unique opportunity - remote control launching tasks, as well as viewing the log using the special xStarter Web Pilot application.

Automate

Probably the most famous commercial task automation software is AutoMate, developed by Network Automation, Inc (networkautomation.com). Its main feature is the creation of tasks using a convenient GUI, without the need to write code. The whole process is simplified through the use of wizards and a special editor task tasks Builder. The program contains a large number of ready-made action templates and reactions to them, which further simplifies the process of creating a chain of actions. The current version of AutoMate 7 at the time of this writing supports more than 230 preset actions that allow you to schedule tasks, work with files and databases, transfer data via FTP / SFTP, encrypt using PGP, monitor systems, access WMI and much more.

AutoMate is available in four editions, all geared towards specific uses: AutoMate Professional and Premium, AutoMateBPAServer 7 Standard and Enterprise. The simplest one - AutoMate Professional - provides a convenient interface for creating tasks on the local system. The most advanced - Enterprise - provides opportunities for easy management accounts and roles, work in AD, provides for centralized management of several machines, SNMP support, telnet and terminal emulator.
All Win OSs from XP SP2 to 2k8 / 7 are supported. Installation requires Microsoft platform. NET Framework version 3.0.

The actual management is carried out using two consoles - Task Builder and Task Administrator. Task Builder creates tasks. This process is quite simple: in the panel on the left of the 29 available groups, select the desired action and drag it to the middle field. A wizard appears to help you refine your settings. For example, let's create an action that allows you to get data by partition hard disk. Go to the System -\u003e Get menu Volume Information, a wizard of the same name appears, consisting of four tabs.

We need to consistently go through and select the parameters in each of them. In General, we indicate the disk partition and the parameters that we want to receive: type, label, file system, location. Alternatively, you can immediately specify the selection of all volumes (All volumes) and then, by clicking the icon next to the field, set the check condition. The program provides a number of built-in variables, functions and triggers that you can use in this field. You can also create your own condition. The other tabs provide a description of the task and an action on errors.
After creating a task, it appears in the list in the middle, where it can be edited, moved, disabled, and so on. Further, in the same way, select and add other Actions. For debugging, you can add breakpoints to the job (Breakpoint, ).

The Task Administrator is designed to manage all tasks, both on local and remote systems. Having selected any task in it, we can view its properties, activate or create a new task. In the properties of the task, triggers, priority, protection, account, on behalf of which it will be executed. There are many settings, they are very diverse. Tasks are saved in files with the * .aml extension.

AutoHotkey

AutoHotkey (autohotkey.com) is a fork of AutoIt v2. Its author, Chris Mallett, suggested adding support for hotkeys to AutoIt, but the idea did not find a response, and as a result, the Initial release was released in November 2003. Unlike its parent product, AutoHotkey is available under the GNU GPL license.

The language syntax is based on AutoIt v2, some ideas are taken from v3. With its help, you can easily automate repetitive tasks: starting a program, sending mail, editing the registry. Supported work with files, simulation of mouse clicks, there is the possibility of creating a GUI. The program can monitor system events and take actions when they occur.

But the trick of AutoHotkey is the hotkey management. For example, to start the calculator with the combination , we write just one line:

The hash mark "#" corresponds to the key ... The documentation is quite detailed (the translation is available at www.script-coding.info/AutoHotkeyTranslation.html), it reflects all the features of the language. In addition to the interpreter itself, the project offers a utility for creating a GUI - SmartGUI Creator and SciTE4AutoHotkey editor with highlighting and code completion.

Scripts (extension * .ahk) can be compiled into an exe file and executed on any computer.

Install Firefox automatically with AutoIt

AutoItSetOption ("WinTitleMatchMode", 2)
AutoItSetOption ("WinDetectHiddenText", 1)
WinMinimizeAll ()
Sleep (1000)
Run ("FirefoxSetup3.6.6.exe")
WinWait (" Installing Mozilla Firefox ")
Send ("(ENTER)")
WinWait ("Mozilla Firefox Installation", "Installation Type")
Send ("(ENTER)")
WinWait ("Install Mozilla Firefox", "Summary")
Send ("(ENTER)")
WinWait ("Install Mozilla Firefox", "Shutdown
installation wizard ")
Send ("(ENTER)")
Exit

AUTOMATION ANYWHERE

The development of the Californian company Tethys Solutions, LLC () has already earned the recognition of the admins and awarded by various media publications. With Automation Anywhere, you can easily automate any repetitive operation, both simple and complex, without the need for programming.

I must say right away that the product is very serious and has a huge number of possibilities. The program can work with files, send mail, start tasks according to a plan or when a trigger is triggered, use VBS and JavaScript scripts, and much more. The technology, called "SMART Automation Technology", eliminates the need for an administrator to be a programmer as well. Recording can be done in automatic modewhen the computer records all the user's actions. In the future, such a task, immediately or after editing, can be “scrolled” on other systems, observing how the mouse itself runs across the screen and presses buttons. The program offers two recorders: Object Recorder for desktop applications and Web Recorder for recording a sequence of actions in a web browser.

Moreover, Web Recorder in latest version the program supports all major technologies used in the web: Java, JavaScript, AJAX, Flash, frames. The process is very simple: we launch Automation Anywhere, select a recorder, and the program starts recording all user actions. To stop, press the combination or click on the "Stop" icon in the floating window at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the process, the program will offer to save the record to a file (extension * .atmn). Editing and manual creation of a task is done using the Task Editor.

The developers have already included in the program several task templates that can be used as examples. Editing a recorded assignment also does not require knowledge of the code. By clicking the Edit button, we will see the entire sequence of actions performed on the screen (mouse movements, keystrokes).

The left editor window shows predefined commands, divided by categories, that can be added to the task. It has everything: working with files and directories, backup, Excel spreadsheets, connecting to the Internet, sending e-mail, capturing a desktop image, starting / stopping services. Select the desired task and simply drag it to the right window. The window for editing properties opens immediately, in which we fill in the proposed parameters (they are specific for each item). The editor supports additional scripts, working with variables, debugging and much more.

The created task can be exported to an executable file and distributed to other systems.

The task can start by time or when a trigger is triggered, this behavior is configured in the Trigger Manager, here you can choose: starting a window with a certain text, the appearance of a file in the directory, resource load (CPU, memory, free space), start / stop of a process or service, receiving a specific e-mail. The developers have not forgotten about security - Automation Anywhere allows you to protect the script with a password and encrypt.

In general, everything that is needed is in the program, except for localization. Supports Automation Anywhere all Windows versions: from XP to 2k8 / 7.

Conclusion

In fact, there are much more programs for automating routine tasks. Paid versions are distinguished by great convenience and friendly interface, the ability to work in a network environment. Although, depending on the preparation and desire to tinker with the settings, you can get by with free programs like xStarter, AutoIt or AutoHotkey.

Standard Windows Task Scheduler

Microsoft finally realized the need for a normal scheduler, and starting with Vista, the system has an improved Task Scheduler (Administration .. Task Scheduler, or taskschd.msc) - significantly redesigned compared to previous versions. Its interface allows you to connect to another computer for configuration, create (simple and advanced) or import a task. So, the main elements of the task are Triggers, Actions, Conditions and Settings. The trigger determines when and upon the occurrence of which event to start the task: by time, when the computer is turned on, when the system logs on, when an event appears in the log. In the latter case, you must specify the log where the event will be tracked, the source and the event code.

The conditions and parameters clarify the essence of the task, and the action determines what actually can be done (start the program, send a message). The possibility of delayed start of a task allows you to delay the start in situations when its immediate launch is unacceptable (for example, high system load). Conditions define other options for the job, for example, when the computer is idle.

Shutter is a small program with which you can automate some actions on your computer. The application allows you to: shut down, restart and put your computer into sleep or hibernation mode.

In addition, the tool can turn off the monitor, start the screensaver, change the volume, open a file, close a window, end the process, play music, etc. The listed actions can be launched according to a schedule or when a designated event is triggered.

Thus, the utility will perform the specified action on a timer or when the desired event is triggered. If you select a timer, you can set the action time or set the countdown timer. If you select an event, then the user must set an event from the presented list: processor load, computer inactivity, battery low, etc. Additional advantages of the application include the ability to manage it via the web interface and a small use of system resources.

Off timer 4.3

Shutdown timer - the name of this program speaks for itself, thanks to this utility you can specify at what time your computer should shut down. In addition to shutting down, the program can put the computer into sleep mode, break the Internet connection and provide other options.

The application will help save users time by taking over the function of shutting down the computer. This becomes especially useful when the user ends the working day at the same time, thus, having predetermined the shutdown time, he does not have to wait for the computer to shut down.

Please note that before turning off your PC, you need to save all work data, since before turning off your computer, the utility will close all applications, and unsaved data will be lost.

GS Auto Clicker 3.1.2

Some applications and games force users to click on the mouse buttons many times, not everyone likes such requirements, because, firstly, it is terribly boring, and secondly, it takes a lot of your time. What if you still want to play or need to work? There is a way out, this is a free program called GS Auto Clicker.

GS AutoClicker is easy to use, after installing it, the user needs to configure a key by pressing which this product will automatically perform mouse clicks. In addition, the utility can record the movement of the mouse cursor and clicks on its buttons, and then repeat these actions.

The user can flexibly customize the behavior of the program, for example, it is possible to specify what type of clicks should be made (single or double), specify a certain number of clicks after which the application will stop, and also determine the time between clicks.

Clickermann 4.11.000

Clickermann is a powerful freeware program capable of fully emulating keyboard and mouse actions. This programmable clicker can automate many of the operations that the user performs daily while working or playing at the computer.

The application is very popular among gamers, because Klickerman allows you to perform monotonous actions in games without the participation of the user, thus, the gameplay continues, and you do not have to perform boring routine operations to upgrade your character.

In addition, this product supports both keyboard and mouse control, is able to analyze the image on the display, as well as read, write to files and run certain applications. All these features greatly help simplify the automation process.

Switch Off 3.5.1.950

Switch Off will help you automatically shutdown or restart your computer, and lock the system or disconnect the Internet connection. The application can perform all these actions according to a pre-configured schedule.

Thanks to the timely shutdown of the computer, you will save energy and, moreover, you will be able to sleep in silence without the annoying noise of the fans, because often during the evening watching a movie, many users fall asleep without turning off their PC.

In addition to automatic power management, it is possible to perform the same actions manually through the Switch Off menu. In addition, the utility is so advanced that it allows you to shut down your computer remotely via a web interface that is securely password protected.

Ghost Mouse 3.2.3

In the process of working at the computer, users from time to time have to repeat the same actions, which is usually tiring. In order to free users from routine operations a useful free program called Ghost Mouse was invented.

Thanks to this application, it becomes possible to record the movement of the cursor and mouse clicks, as well as keystrokes on the keyboard. Those. you need to fix the sequence of actions once and after that they will be performed as many times as you like.

The product has two main controls, the first is the record button, by clicking on which you can start performing various manipulations with the mouse and keyboard, and the second is the play button, which starts the execution of the operations just recorded.

MInstAll 1.0.1.68

MInstAll is a powerful free program that allows you to automatically install applications and configure the operating system Microsoft Windows... This utility is simplified windows variant Post-Installation Wizard.

The application is convenient to use both at home after reinstalling the OS for quickly deploying the programs and system options you need, and in offices for setting up a large number of computers.

So, the utility in question is able to form groups from programs and sort them, add various profiles for installation, start autoinstallation and applications in hidden mode, while you can use the key reference for correct setting the required installers.

PowerOff (Power Off, Power Off) 6.4

PowerOff is a free program whose main function is to manage the power of your computer. You can control the power of your PC by timer, date or the occurrence of a specific event.

The Power Off application has a huge number of functions and allows you to turn off the computer, put it into sleep or standby mode, as well as restart, disconnect the Internet connection, turn off the monitor, start the screen saver, etc.

The above actions can be performed scheduled or by pressing hot keys, and the program has the ability to bind certain actions to the hot keys convenient for you.

nnCron (nnCron) 1.93b3

nnCron is a small program that is a powerful task scheduler. The application has incorporated many simple and extraordinary functions, some of which we perform every day, and with the help of it all this can be automated.

Thus, you can configure the daily launch of sound notifications at a specific time, it is noteworthy that if the task has not been completed, the program will take this into account and restart it as soon as possible.

It also supports useful tasks that allow you to manage the computer's power, for example, turning it off, putting it into sleep mode, and waking it up from sleep mode so that you can perform the desired operation.

Main functions

• easy-to-learn syntax like Basic;
• emulation of movements computer mouse and keystrokes;
• process management;
• managing windows of active applications;
• launching certain actions by pressing hot keys;
• creation of GUI - graphical user interface;
• work with the registry, clipboard, network;
• processing functions, loops, logical conditions, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits:

• free distribution;
• small size and independence;
• simple syntax;
• support for unicode;
• editor with syntax highlighting;
• imitation of cursor movements, keystrokes in any application;
• interact with controls even in inactive windows.

Disadvantages:

• you need to spend some time learning the language.

Analogs

AutoHotkey. Free set professional tools for automating work on a PC. This program is self-sufficient, knows how to customize keystrokes, has its own programming language. All this makes it possible to create complex workflows and graphical dialog boxes. You can also use COM in the program, with the help of which other applications are controlled. But this solution has its drawbacks: the lack of an editor with syntax highlighting and the inability to debug scripts.

xStarter. A free automation program that even novice users can figure out. In its visual designer, you can record a sequence of actions. It is also possible to create a graphical interface, dialog boxes. The program has a task scheduler. Of the minuses: not always the correct setting of the keyboard layout, the lack of a text-based programming function.

Work principles

To create a script, assign a folder for it and install AutoIt. Click on the free space in this folder and check the items "Create", "AutoIt v3 Script":

Script creation

Then set a name for the script, and then open it to write commands by calling context menu and selecting the "Edit Script" item. After that, the editor for the program should open - SciTe:

Editor for the program

The script will be empty at first. Comments in it are highlighted in green. There are single and multiline comments.

To add the ability to display text in your script, use the MsgBox function by entering the line MsgBox (0, "Tutorial", "Hello World!") At the end of the file. The values \u200b\u200bin parentheses are parameters to the function.

There are two ways to run the file:

1. Via the context menu:

Run script

2. Through the editor:

Running through the editor

To learn how to work with files in the program, we suggest watching the video:

AutoIt - functional program for writing scripts.

Few of today's users remember the reckless 90s and then computers. Automation of tasks was even then possible, you can recall at least our faithful old autoexec.bat - a file that was launched every time the computer was turned on, took control and automated the execution of routine work.

Now, of course, everything is not quite so, but there are many programs with which any PC user can solve the problem of automating their own computer for free. This article will cover several modern applicationscreated for similar purposes.

What are programs for automating actions on a computer for?

Every day, each user performs many routine operations - runs antivirus software, archives data, downloads files, looks at his mail, etc. This is not the most big list constantly repetitive work.

But what about those who constantly send out lots of messages, print documents, delete obsolete files and check their hard drive?

This is a rather tedious task, therefore maximum automation of actions for constantly repetitive processes is desirable. There are several programs that can take over this function. With their help, you can organize not only the above actions, but also clean the system registry of unnecessary junk, constantly update data, etc.

Important information. Such automated programs it is better to run at night, when the computer and the network are not loaded, in order to maximally unload your working time.

Windows Task Scheduler

The tasks of automating computers running the Windows operating system are not at all difficult to solve. After all, there is a built-in program for this - the Task Scheduler.

If you have Windows installed on your computer, then you do not need to download anything, just find and run this application. This can be done in the following way:

1. Click on the "Start" button;
2. In the menu that opens, select an item such as "Control Panel";
3. The panel opens, in it you need to select "Administration";
4. In the window that opens, find the "Task Scheduler" sub-item and launch it with two mouse clicks.

Windows automation in older versions of the system, for example, in the 7th version, can also be done simply by typing in command line required command:

1. In the menu of the "Start" button, select "All programs";
2. Find the item "Standard" in the list;
3. Open the sub-item "Command line";
4. In the command line that opens, type the name of the Taskschd.msc file and press Enter.

This is easier on Windows 10. The name of the Taskschd.msc file is typed in the Run window, and then OK is pressed.

List of main application commands:

• Create a simple task - the process is performed using a wizard;
• Create task - in this case, everything will be created “manually”;
• Import task - some other, previously created and exported task is imported, this is often used in local networks to synchronize the actions of several computers;
• Show all running tasks - to see which specific tasks are started and in progress;
• Enable Job Log - Scheduler log records all automation actions;
• Create / delete folder - in the scheduler you can create or delete your own folders for work;
• Export - with this command created on this computer the task can be exported to another computer or simply remembered for further actions.

How to create your task project in Windows Scheduler

You can create an automated task to start the defragmentation program that will run, for example, every Wednesday at 3 am. To do this, you need to perform the following sequence of actions:

That's it, the task is ready. But you should be careful with spyware - they can use the task scheduler for their own purposes.

Software automation with xStarter

This program can be downloaded from the resource http://www.xstarter.com/rus/. The download is free, and xStarter updates will also be free.

This application allows you to automate processes using macros created by the user, for this it is not necessary to master programming techniques, everyone can do it. Any actions in the operating system are recorded by the program in special files, which can always be reproduced to obtain the desired result.

A special add-on to the application called Job Scheduler for Firebird / Interbase is designed to work with database servers, it can execute SQL scripts, restore old databases, etc.

Thus, xStarter has advanced features over the standard Windows Task Scheduler. From the application, you can independently create executable files .exe, which can be easily transferred to any other computer.

With the Web Pilot add-on, you can remotely control other computers on your local network.

In addition to these innovations, the xStarter application has the following advantages:

• you can track the status file system, for any change, the user will be warned;
• automation of work with e-mail;
• organization of work with FTP and HTTP.

If you are looking for truly efficient application automation, then the Macro Scheduler application is the one for you.

This program is shareware, that is, it assumes a certain period of 30 days for free use, then you can purchase a paid working version.

In this application, you can also create your own macros simply by recording a sequence of actions. For more knowledgeable and advanced users, it is possible to write code in the MacroScript language in a visual editor - this is to create more complicated options for tasks.

The Professional version allows you to compile the code into an executable .exe file that can be run on a variety of Windows PCs. There are three versions of Macro Scheduler - Lite, Standard and Professional. Of course, the Professional version is the most "advanced", but also the most expensive - $ 195.

If you have experience in creating macros, then working with the program will not be difficult for you. All your actions after pressing the Record button will be recorded in the editor. Stops recording by pressing CTRL + ALT + S. After the recorded scenario, you can play it by clicking the Start button.

The program code of the recorded script can be corrected manually, but for this you need to know the MacroScript language. You can also insert snippets written in VBScript into your code.

But in most cases, it is enough to use templates of existing scripts using the Macro Scheduler Automation Tool. There you will find templates for working with text files and images, registry, with memory buffer, with various devices etc.

AutoTask 2000 Overview

After 30 days, you need to buy a work package of the AutoTask program for $ 60. This application is very different simple interface, it is very easy to work with it even for a beginner.

In AutoTask, you can record a script for the execution of a macro, as in previous applications. This is done using a wizard, which greatly simplifies the task.

In addition, the program allows you to create complex structured task schedules that can be edited as needed. Each action is set separately, parameters and conditions are selected. You can test their execution directly from the task editor.

Having considered this application, we can conclude that it is very convenient to use, you do not need any specific skills or knowledge of any programming language. But alas, sometimes a little difficulty may arise with the execution of tasks due to the complex structure of the schedule.

The application also allows recording macros by recording a sequence of user actions on a computer. Everything is the same as in previous programs, plus a simple and friendly interface. True, there is no Russian-language version of the program, but is this a significant disadvantage?

It is quite simple to create a macro based on existing templates, you just need to click on Templates and select the desired template option. Then you can add the created macro to the Schedule.

Macros can also be recorded. To do this, click on the Record button in the File menu. To stop recording, you need to click on Stop.

To create a macro in the visual designer, execute the Create a macro using Macro Editor command. This constructor has no advanced features, but it is fine for the standard use case.

In conclusion, you can consider an automation program for mac computer or iMac. After all, not by Windows, the same ...

Of course, such a program exists in the macOS environment and it is called Automator. With its help, you can create a variety of tasks that will be automatically executed by the computer under certain user-defined conditions.

The Automator application from Launchpad opens. From the list of all jobs, you can select one - process, program, service, print plugin, folder action, reminder, image capture plugin.

If you selected the Service template, a new window opens where you can create a new process. It's easy to create: just drag the actions on the left that you want to perform automatically into the free area of \u200b\u200bthe window.

It is very easy to work with Automator even for an unprepared user - after all, this is the trick of all software products from Apple.

Instead of a conclusion

Of course, you can organize your work efficiently and effectively. We hope that the above computer automation programs will help you with this. Which one to choose is up to you. Good luck!