[WEB4LIB] Resetting Internet Browsers

[Glen Davies]

Hi

I have just worked something out on Win95 machines using System Agent 
(comes with MS Plus) and batsh
http://www.winsite.com/info/pc/win3/util/batsh220.zip/

System agent lets you run any application after the system has been 
inactive for so many minutes and batsh is a freeware windows 
scripting package that can be used to shut down and open windows, 
among other things.

I have set system agent to run a batsh file if the system is inactive 
for more than 15 minutes. The batsh file closes down all netscape 
windows (uses a loop and errorlevel check to make sure all netscape 
windows are closed). It then calls a batch file that copies a 
prefs.bck file to prefs.js to remove history settings etc.  and then 
restarts Netscape. (i had to use a batch file to do this as batsh 
does not like long file/directory names.Moving netscape files to 
apps instead of program files would be another  option.)

I have only been testing it for a couple of days so I can't say if 
there are any memory leaks etc. Batsh also includes a restart option 
so system agent could be set to run a restart once or twice a day 
when the system is inactive.

Here is the batsh file. I had to insert some pauses to get the 
loopback to close extra windows to work
*************************************

wait off
icon exclamation
label Library Timeout Function - Please Wait

:again
quit Netscape
wait 2
if errorlevel 2 goto runscape

goto again

:runscape

rem run batch file to refresh netscape settings
run ICON rescape.bat

rem run batch file to launch netscape
run icon runscape.bat

exit

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Hope this helps
Regards
Glen 



> Date:          Mon, 14 Sep 1998 15:26:28 -0700 (PDT)
> Reply-to:      mpeery at cyberserver01.mcl.lib.wa.us
> From:          "Matthew A. Peery" <mpeery at cyberserver01.mcl.lib.wa.us>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> Subject:       [WEB4LIB] Resetting Internet Browsers

> Have any of you had the opportunity to figure out how to "RESET" your
> Internet
> browser to the home page after a "time-out" period.
> I know you can refresh the page after a time period but that is not what I
> am looking for.
> What I am looking for, specifically, is a script or small program that
> monitors
> use of the browser and after a certain amount of non-use the browser will
> reset to the homepage designated in the set up.
> I remember talking with someone that was able to accomplish this with a
> BASIC script, unfortunately I do not remember this persons name.
> Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Matthew A. Peery
> Systems Specialist
> Mid-Columbia Library          http://www.mcl.lib.wa.us
> 405 S. Dayton St.
> Kennewick, WA. 99336
> 1-509-586-3156
> 
> 
> 
********************************************
Glen Davies
IT Librarian
Christchurch College of Education
Dovedale Ave 
Christchurch
Ph. 64-3-343 7737
glen at rimu.cce.ac.nz
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The more I read, the more questions I have. 
Everytime I pass a library I get an anxiety attack.
O'Neill in "SeaQuest DSV" (1993)
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